Generally, competitive league softballs range from 10″-12″, while some slow pitch city leagues can use softballs as large as 16″. For youngsters, softballs are usually 11″ or 12″.

What are the three types of softballs?

There are three types of softball: fastpitch, modified and slow pitch. In both types of softball, pitchers throw underhand (with hand below shoulder level).

What is the most popular softball size?

12 inches: This is the most common size softball for both fast- and slow-pitch games. Fast-pitch youth players will begin using a 12-inch ball around age ten. Some co-ed slow-pitch leagues use a 12-inch softball when men or boys bat and an 11-inch ball when women or girls bat.

What size softballs do 8 year olds use?

11 inch softballs are utilized.

What are the three different sizes of balls softball can be played with?

Today the game of softball is played worldwide with standard sets of rules. There are still three sizes of balls in use: 12-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch. The 12-inch ball is the most popular. The first softball fast-pitch national tournament for both men and women was held in 1933 in Chicago.

Rawlings Softballs

35 related questions found

How big is a softball diameter?

What is the diameter of a softball? 10 and under teams typically use a softball with a circumference of 11 inches and diameter of 3.5 inches. 11 and up age teams typically use a softball with a circumference of 12 inches and a diameter of 3.8 inches.

Why are there different size softballs?

Softballs vary in size according to the type of softball game that is being played. There are three sizes: one for fast-pitch softball, one for slow-pitch softball and one for a style of slow-pitch play that is frequently called Chicago ball because of its popularity in that Illinois city.

What size softballs do 10 year olds use?

Boys' and girls' teams with players aged 10 and younger usually use the smaller 11-inch ball. Some women's slow pitch leagues also use the 11-inch ball.

What is 10U softball?

10U Softball Description:

Players 9 & 10 years of age. Introduction into the complete game, with no restrictions on base stealing in the Spring and “closed” bases in the fall, and players pitching. Strict pitching restriction based on innings, pitch counts, or combinations thereof, are used and enforced.

What size is a 10U softball?

Ball Size. Taking into account younger pitchers' smaller hands, 10U leagues use 11-inch softballs that weigh at least 6 ounces, in contrast to the 12-inch ball used by 12U leagues and above.

What size softball does high school use?

Use the Right Equipment

The high school fast-pitch softball is 12 inches in circumference and weighs between 6 1/4 and 7 ounces. Players typically use metal bats which must meet Amateur Softball Association of America standards.

How much bigger is a softball than a baseball?

A regulation softball is significantly larger than a regulation baseball. A softball measures between 11.88 and 12.13 inches in circumference and weighs between 6.25 and 7.00 ounces; a baseball measures between 9.00 and 9.25 inches in circumference and weighs between 5.00 and 5.25 ounces.

Do softballs go bad?

Ended up torn, tattered, dirty, and just falling apart (at the seams). Ended up used and abused, face down in the batting practice bucket. So, yeah, they do go bad.

What size are slow pitch softballs?

Slow pitch softball leagues typically use 12″ softballs that will travel at slower speeds and lesser distances than fastpitch softballs. League rules will dictacte the Compression and COR measurement used during gameplay. Softball players competing in fastpitch will regularly use a 11″ ball.

Whats the difference in softballs?

The most important distinction between softballs is the compression rating, which is the force in pounds it would take to squeeze the ball a quarter of an inch. Each type of softball is also available in a range of COR values. ... Balls with higher COR values have more bounce.

What is 13U softball?

Description: The 13U level continues to advance the complexity of play, introducing rules such as the dropped third strike, stealing home, and the infield fly rule. At this level the players play with the full-sized 12" softball, and pitch from a greater distance from the plate.

What size is 11U softball?

The 11U Category

In the USSSA 11U category, the pitching distance moves from 35 feet to 40 feet. The ball increases in size from 11 inches to 12 inches.

What size of softball do 12 year old girls use?

11" standard softball – This ball more closely resembles the firmness of the 12” size but has the small diameter to fit a smaller hand. 12" - Girls starting in the age group of 12u switch to a 12-inch ball.

What size softball does a 12 year old need?

Youth baseball, ages 8 to 12: 10- to 12-inch glove. Youth softball, 8 to 12: 10.5- to 13-inch. Baseball, ages 13 to 18: 11 inches and up. Softball, ages 13 to 18: 11.5 inches and up.

Why are softballs bigger than baseballs?

A softball field has 60 feet between each base while baseball's bases are 90 feet apart. ... The reasoning behind both items is that women have smaller hands and don't have the power necessary to throw the ball as efficiently on a baseball-sized field.

What size is a coed softball?

Game play for 16-inch softball is mostly consistent with standard softball game play. In contrast to standard, or 12-inch (30.48 cm) softball, it is played with a ball 16 inches (40.64 cm) in circumference. Leagues may form co-ed, all-male, or all-female teams.

What size softball is used in middle school?

Ball Size/Style: 12″ softballs will be used for all game and practice sessions. Only softballs furnished by KIDSPORTS can be used in scheduled KIDSPORTS games. Each team should provide at least one new ball as well as a slightly used ball. Shoes: Steel cleats are allowed.