by Gerald Warner
Softball Pitching Instructor, Denver, Colorado

This Summer, the NFHS (National Federation of High School Associations) changed the pitching distance for high school softball games to 43-feet...back from the 40-foot distance currently being used in all but 2 states.  Florida has been testing the 43-foot distance for 4 years, Oregon for the past year.

The change will affect nearly 15,000 school varsity softball teams in those states that are members of the NFHS.  For most, the increase to 43-feet will take place starting with the 2010-2011 school year.  However, state athletic/activities associations will have the option of starting it sooner.   JV and younger teams have the option of staying at the 40-foot distance.

Here is a portion of the new release announcing the change:

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 7, 2009) - Effective with the 2010-11 school year, the pitching distance for high school varsity softball pitchers will increase from 40 feet to 43 feet.

The new pitching distance was one of four rules revisions made by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Softball Rules Committee at its annual meeting June 8-10 in Indianapolis. The rules changes subsequently were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Although the new pitching distance is mandatory beginning with the 2010-11 school year, NFHS-member state high school associations may adopt the 43-feet distance in 2009-10, if desired.

After at least 10 years of debate by committee members, the NFHS has extended the fast-pitch pitching distance to 43 feet. The change to Rule 1-1-2b was made after two member state associations experimented with 43 feet - Florida for four years and Oregon for one year. Coaches surveyed within these states were overwhelmingly supportive of the change.

Creating a better balance between the offense and the defense was the major rationale for the rule change. Experimentation results from both states indicated more batted balls were hit into play.

"Our main thrust is getting the defense more involved," said Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Softball Rules Committee. "When more balls are hit into play, the defense is more involved in the game, thus enhancing skill development."

...Softball is the fourth-most popular sport among girls at the high school level with 371,293 participants during the 2007-08 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. It also ranks fourth in school sponsorship for girls across the nation with 14,846 participating schools.