Move to 43 feet good for softball, at least high school softball

I can't get the picture out of my head.

Every time I think about the day Christine Kelley of Larkin took a line shot to the face, I've been an advocate for moving the pitching distance in high school softball to 43 feet.

That, among other things, was dealt with by the Illinois High School Association this summer.

Beginning with the spring season, Illinois high school softball pitchers will be throwing from 43 feet at all levels. The move is in response to the National Federation of State High School Associations changing the pitching distance to 43 feet nationwide, beginning with the 2011 season. The National Fed left it to each state to enact the rule this school year and Illinois has chosen to do so.

On Wednesday, the softball advisory committee met at the IHSA office in Bloomington and according to IHSA softball administrator Matt Troha, the committee discussed the issue of underlevels going to 43 feet and did not take any definitive action. Instead, the committee agreed that for 2010 all pitching distances will be 43 feet, and that after the 2010 season that distance at the underlevels will be discussed again.

Why 43 feet?

Well, there's a couple of reasons.

"I believe this is the best move for the student-athletes and high school softball in Illinois," said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. "This change came as no surprise, as the NFHS has talked about it for nearly a decade and we knew it was only a matter of time. It will increase offense and get the defense more involved in the game, but more importantly it has the potential to improve safety for the pitchers. When you consider the safety factor, there really wasn't a logical reason to wait a year to move the pitching distance."

Safety first is always a good reason to look at changing rules. I'd also offer that by going to 43 feet, pitchers will be better prepared for college. Most summer 18U tournaments, and many at the 16U level, are already at 43 feet. Having a girl go back to 40 feet for the high school season is defeating the purpose of preparing that athlete for the next level.

"Yes I do," answered former Burlington Central standout Erica Maisto when asked if she wishes she had been able to pitch from 43 in high school. Maisto is now a sophomore at Upper Iowa University.

"It was a difficult adjustment," Maisto said of moving to 43 feet last year. "I have to rely on my curveball more in college and it was harder to get used to that extra three feet. It makes a big difference between a curveball curving or being a pancake.

"I think it will be a great thing for girls to get used to before they get to college."

Maisto's former coach, BC's Scot Sutherland, is not in favor of the change.

"I don't like it," Sutherland said. "What was wrong with the game? You've got enough struggles in high school to get the kids to throw from 40 and now we're going to move it back? They're not being recruited in high school, they're being recruited in the summer with their travel teams. And as for the safety issue, they need to go after the bat manufacturers who are making bats hotter and hotter every year."

Point well taken. Softballs have been made to fly farther and quicker, and bats are being made to send softballs off them like rockets. But until those issues are dealt with, it says here 43 feet in high school will be a good thing.

That said, we don't agree with 43 feet at the underlevels. The fear I have is that young pitchers will be discouraged and want to give up pitching because they struggle from 43.

Then again, it was pointed out to me during this debate that freshman basketball players don't get a different 3-point line than the varsity, so why should pitchers get a different distance?

Another point well taken. Varsity pitchers should be able to perform from 43 feet. The jury is still out on the underlevel issue but I think it's a safe bet coaches aren't going to like it, especially for incoming freshmen.

The IHSA had other news this summer, most notably following the NFHS's lead on banning high-tech swimming suits.

Such as in softball and other sports, technology has taken over swimming and the NFHS felt that it needed to take a stand on high school swimmers being allowed to use high-tech suits, which give those swimmers wearing them an advantage in speed and buoyancy.

Another move this summer that Hickman lauded was the passage of House Bill 272, which will allow for state funding in the implementation of the IHSA's drug testing procedures.

"The changes allow for some year-round testing and some funding," said Hickman, who noted the IHSA spent $150,000 in 2008-09 administering the new drug testing program.

"We expect the funding to pay for the program," he said. "We're still waiting for the Department of Health with some red tape so we'll do our own testing this fall and then we expect the new program to be in place for winter and spring."

The new law, signed by Gov. Quinn on Aug. 7, requires the IHSA test at least 1,000 student-athletes per school year.

A busy summer with some significant changes. We now know the school year really has started.

jradtke@dailyherald.com