USSSA Announcement on Bat Certification

[Fastpitch Mom]

Around here USSSA and IFA, have most of the tourneys, some NSA, WFC and AAU. ASA lists a few tourneys but most get cancelled at the last minute becasue only 2 or 3 teams enter.

 

[knightsb]

I just called Louisville Slugger Customer service and they said, for Fastpitch, the bats will be grandfathered until Sept 1, 2013. I did a web search and this is what I found:

2 ) For USSSA Fastpitch Softball Only. As a result of manufacturing delays in fastpitch softball bats with
the new USSSA mark on the taper, USSSA has extended the grandfather period for using old mark
(“USSSA 1.20 BPF”) from January 1, 2013 to September 1, 2013. This extension applies only to USSSA
Fastpitch sanctioned play and does not apply to USSSA Slow Pitch sanctioned play.

Here is the link.

 

[redhotcoach]

I cant find that extension on usssa's site though. The lastest update 2/29/12 still says new stamp jan 1 2012

http://www.usssa.com/usssa/usssa-general/NewUSSSAFPSoftballBatMarks.pdf

 

[kew1076]

I cant find that extension on usssa's site though. The lastest update 2/29/12 still says new stamp jan 1 2012

http://www.usssa.com/usssa/usssa-general/NewUSSSAFPSoftballBatMarks.pdf

Try this one:

USSSA Delaware & Maryland Youth Fast Pitch Softball

MDDE home page

 

[knightsb]

I am not sure why the national usssa website does not mention the grandfather period. Our regional USSSA website was recently updated on 02/29/2012 to read:

New USSSA Fastpitch Softball Bat Marks & Grandfathering Rules
Effective January 1, 2012

Have the new permanent1 USSSA Mark on its taper OR
Have the old permanent1 USSSA mark OR
Be a Wood Bat

ALL of the above must be manufactured by an approved USSSA Bat Licensee
Effective September 1, 20132

Have the new permanent1 USSSA Mark on its taper OR
Be a Wood Bat

ALL of the above must be manufactured by an approved USSSA Bat Licensee

1 USSSA marks and other graphics of the bat must be applied permanently and must be applied by the USSSA licensed manufacturer. No stickers or decals are allowed and no one may add graphics to a bat once manufactured. Use of a bat with graphics not applied by the manufacturer will be use of an altered bat and subject to suspension under the USSSA Altered Bat rules. In addition to being violation of the USSSA Altered Bat rules, any use, creation or application of a USSSA mark without written permission of USSSA is a violation of Federal Trademark law and may result in prosecution by USSSA. If you have any concern about the person selling or providing you a bat, do not accept the bat, because you will be held responsible for any bat you bring into or use in a USSSA facility.
2 For USSSA Fastpitch Softball Only. As a result of manufacturing delays in fastpitch softball bats with the new USSSA mark on the taper, USSSA has extended the grandfather period for using old mark (“USSSA 1.20 BPF”) from January 1, 2013 to September 1, 2013. This extension applies only to USSSA Fastpitch sanctioned play and does not apply to USSSA Slow Pitch sanctioned play.

Updated 2/29/2012

 

[mad hornet]

Sept 1, 2013 is basically two years' notice. I suppose that's reasonable considering how often our kids outgrow a bat and the useful life of a bat through a travel season. Guess we'll still do U-Trips next year if that's the real grandfather date.

 

[redhotcoach]

That seems a lot better knight. I have parents that want to buy bats now and hope to get some use out of them next year, but you still can't find many with the new stamp (namely xenos and cf).

 

[redhotcoach]

Confirmed, director said national website should say September 1 2013 also.

 

[rowdy]

Too many cheaters out there. If it were only the aged bats that were an issue it wouldn't be an issue. But people are altering new bats giving them an advantage and putting other players at risk in the process. If USSSA comes up with a good process I applaud them, ASA has tried and failed at this and the biggest reason is no one wants to require all new equipment.

Baseball is making huge changes this year and if it goes over then look for softball to follow shortly.

 

[MTR]

Too many cheaters out there. If it were only the aged bats that were an issue it wouldn't be an issue. But people are altering new bats giving them an advantage and putting other players at risk in the process. If USSSA comes up with a good process I applaud them, ASA has tried and failed at this and the biggest reason is no one wants to require all new equipment.

You have to be kidding me. ASA has been so far ahead of the field in this, it is unbelievable that you would attach a "fail". Meanwhile, the other softball organizations followed the NCAA baseball format and allowed the manufacturers to self-police. How did that work out for the NCAA baseball side? That's right, a load of organizations and state/municipalities began a knee-jerk blanket ban on composites. Even LL dumped the composites only to reverse themselves on those which could be shown as meeting the predetermined specs. Softball was able to get an exclusion from those bans simply because they showed their game was in complete control of the bat situation and the ability to provide such evidence lies with the ASA testing and standards.

ASA once had a proposal to change the rules to match that of NFHS & NCAA, the bat much have a stamp with no exceptions for bats made prior to the composites. Luckily, it was soundly defeated as all that would do is penalize those players using the older, safer bats and that is not the idea

U-trip has finally decided to join the party a decade after the fact. In turn, U-trip is going to reap the benefit of forcing every manufacturer into purchasing new licensing and players to buy new bats which means the organization and bat companies make out like bandits. There is rumor ASA is considering a similar move, which IMO would be absolutely ludicrous and a marketing nightmare. There is no reason for a change in ASA. They are already ahead of the field in this area and playing follow-the-leader would just cause more to move away from ASA. It would also mean an increase possibility that now a player would need a different bat for HS & college.

Yes, I'm pro ASA, but facts are facts and to label the progress that the NCAA, NFHS & ASA has accomplished with the equipment of their game as a failure is absolutely absurd.

Baseball is making huge changes this year and if it goes over then look for softball to follow shortly.

Not a shot. As noted above, softball is so far ahead of the game, it will take years just to get past the egos in baseball to catch up to softball.