How tall are softball players?

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obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
As the father of two short softball players, i find this thread very interesting! Because DD#2 stopped growing at 5'-2", I am always looking for short players on the best teams. It seems that there is no shortage of short players (no pun intended) and that many of the top DI teams have a player or two in the 5'-0" - 5'-2" range.

Last night I was watching a recording of last years WCWS and OU's SS was 5'-2" (same height as DD#2) Carlee Wallace is down there too. Bama has had (2) players UNDER 5'-0" - one of them (Kelly Montalvo?)is still playing in the NPF. one of the pitchers for GA this year (Bass?) was close to 5'-0".

A few years ago, I asked Sue Enquist about whether or not my 5'-2" DD would ever have a chance to pitch in college or should we give up on pitching and focus on playing positions. she said that during her years at UCLA, the (2) best pitchers on her teams were under 5'-6". "If she wants it, let her go for it! thats what is great about softball, there is room for everyone!"
 
Dec 12, 2012
1,668
0
On the bucket
That's awesome! If only Sue were still coaching.

Yes, there are shorties on top 25 D1 rosters. Usually in the OF or 2B. We always look for them too as a reassurance that it can happen.
Funny you bring up Bama, because Murphy was one of the coaches that said outright he had a minimum height for pitchers. No exceptions.


FWIW, DD had a coach explain his side of the story. He said that pitching in college was a horrible grind and his experience led him to believe the smaller bodies could not take the daily abuse for 4 years like the bigger bodied players could.

Of course there is the lever length thing too, but that doesn't seem to factor in so much. Maybe on that front the actually do look at the performance over the size.
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
DD had a coach explain his side of the story. He said that pitching in college was a horrible grind and his experience led him to believe the smaller bodies could not take the daily abuse for 4 years like the bigger bodied players could.

that is my feeling as well- physically bigger athletes can handle the abuse a pitcher can be subjected to. there is always the exception to the rule, but there are probably extenuating circumstances of one kind or another as well.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
I guess what I was trying to say is that a shorter girl can pitch at a top D1 school, so it's not always about height, but skill. I do believe, taller girls have an advantage over shorter girls when it comes to pitching. Is that always the case? No.

I may not be explaining myself very well..Sorry!

I hear ya. I agree that the ability to get the ball over the plate has nothing to do with height. However, all that being equal, the taller bigger player is typically stronger and generates more power.
 
Oct 15, 2013
727
63
Seattle, WA
I looked at the same 9 rosters just at pitchers and found the average pitcher on those teams is 5' 8.886 inches tall. That's over 2 inches taller than the average player on the rosters. If you were to separate the pitchers from the non pitchers the difference would be even greater. All 6 of the girls I found on the team rosters who were 6' or taller were all pitchers.

Of the 36 pitchers on all the rosters 19 were 5'9" or taller (52.78%). 3 were 5'4" or shorter (8.33%). 1 pitcher was 5'3" inches or less (2.78%).

FWIW Suzie Rzegocki holds most of the pitching records at Purdue and she's probably in the 5'3"-5'4" range.
 
May 22, 2015
410
28
Illinois
I guess I don't consider 5'4" to be short for a 13 year old. I would guess that that might even be slightly above average for her age. She could easily grow a couple more inches before it's all said and done. My DD turned 13 in December also, and she is 4'11". Her chances of making it to 5'6" are probably slim to none lol. Also, she has been turned down from teams due to her size twice. More often than not I would say coaches like the big bats, regardless of athleticism, speed or mechanics. On one hand I get it, so much of this sport is power driven, and quite a few smaller girls can get intimated by 6'2" 14 year old pitching 60 mph to them. On the other hand, that's not my DD and you can't judge a book by it's cover. Tryout season last fall was an eye opener for her, and now she knows what she's up against moving forward in the sport. She needs to work harder than someone that has 6" and 40 lbs. on her to get to were she wants to be. I think short players can still make a top tier D1 school, but the deck is stacked against them.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
DD has always been small and does to wieght anything. Can honestly say it has not hurt her nor does she care. I do which is my problem.

It is funny seeing her bounce off other players though. Since DD was always 1st one down court he decided her to play C. Other player could not make a layup for some reason, DD was crashing against her. Probly should have been technical foul, other player didn't even notice DD banging into her. She finally made it. Was not worried about her, I thought DD was going to get hurt fouling her.
 
Last edited:
Oct 15, 2013
727
63
Seattle, WA
OK, just for fun I looked at the rosters of 5 less prominent colleges (Humbolt st, Seattle U, Western Washington, Chesapeake and Florida Atlantic).

Average player height at these schools: 5'6.34"
21% of the players are 5'9" or taller
3% are 6' or taller
27% are 5'4" or shorter
16 players (16% of total) are 5'3" or shorter

The pitchers at these teams average 5'7.3" inches tall
20% are 5'4" or shorter
35% are 5'9" or taller
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
LB- I think that may have been where Sue was coming from in that you can't judge the whole of college ball by only what you see on the best teams in DI. don't give up because you don't meet EVERYONE'S expectation of what a pitcher should look like.
Chelsea Thomas was/is a great pitcher. her recruiting video (which is still online) is not that impressive (except that she 's throwing 67-72 mph!)
 
Last edited:
Sep 28, 2015
85
0
I have a short DD and I will say that taller players do get coaches attention over her until she goes out to the field and shows what she can do. We have to realize that our society has become a judgmental one and that's is fine. Its human nature, which is why I tell her if she wants to be one of the best players on her team she has to work twice as hard. My DD is the 2nd shortest on her team and she is the 2nd best power hitter on the team. Her good friend that she has been playing with for 2 years just started hitting further then her, granted she has 8 to 10 inches on my DD and a year older. So to answer the question if taller girls have an advantage yes they get noticed first at a camp or whatever but once the action starts it all comes down to the hard work each player puts in.
 

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