Will SSUSA be discussing OPTIONAL pitching screen usage during tournament play for 2026? SSUSA seems to be the last association that does NOT offer it. Thoughts?

As a pitcher I am personally not a fan of screen John. SSUSA mandates that P wear masks, not sure other assoc do that, I know ISSA doesn't mandate it. As a P you can wear protection is you are worried about getting hit. The addition of the screen does add a different rule set to the game and more chances for player/umpire issues for something that is "OPTIONAL"(IMO). All that said, if you send an email or letter into SSUSA Home Office requesting they add it to their discussion for year end rules mtg, they will discuss it.

"NO NETS" I pitch also and will only wear the mask but if you wanna go
full "rodeo clown" go for it. I'm not saying pitchers are clowns its just
a figure of speech and I've heard other teams call the pitcher RCs when
there all deck out in full catching gear to pitch.

"NO NETS"

Thanks for your thoughts/input both mck71 and nickname36. I pitch as well (55 Major). I saw a few pitchers (myself included) get hit in Vegas. And plenty of near misses. I suit up with a mask and shin guards. Played against and spoke with a pitcher from Texas who was wearing a chest protector. I would like to see it as an option not mandatory. I don’t see how it hurts the game if it’s optional. I may send in a formal request for it to be brought up. My team plays ISSA and TPSSA and rarely see a screen used and it’s optional in those associations.

John Edinger,

I don't pitch but when we play places that allow screens I leave it up to my pitcher to decide if they want to use it or not. There is good and bad points to a screen and with the varying rules regarding the usage it can be a huge advantage for some teams defensively.

In One Nation if one team wants to use the screen BOTH teams HAVE to use the screen, you're not given a choice even if you don't want to use it. That might be the dumbest rule I've ever heard and if that wasn't enough they combine it with the Pitcher is also allowed to field the ball as well.

I've only played a couple TPSSA tourneys and have rarely seen them used but like their rules pertaining to their use.

Can't recall ever seeing one used in ISSA but that doesn't mean I haven't seen one. LOL.. Things run together and I don't always remember which tourney was which where I've seen screens.

I do feel that associations that allow screens but forbid pitchers from being the first person to touch the ball is a good thing safety wise but also gives the defense an upper hand. A screens fielding percentage is always 100% if it hits it, pitchers not so much there is still the human error factor in not using a screen. I'd be willing to be no matter how many pitchers chime in to say Middles Closed less than 70% of the balls hit back at them are fielded, especially the longer a tourney going on.

My 2 cents: You shouldn't mandate pitching screens, but they should be optional in the older divisions (70's and older?), especially when an older team plays against a younger team. As a pitcher, I never wanted pitching screens when I was younger, but father time has caught up to my reflexes.

As a Pitcher, I am not in favor of nets for the pitchers. I pitch in AAA 50’s, 55’s and 60’s. I move forward and back, left to right, and use the entire pitchers box and a net limits my ability to keep the batter on his toes. With that said, I would be in favor of closing the box. I’m surprised with mandated face protection, that SSUSA hasn’t made an effort to close the pitchers box. When the same guy apologizes to me 3 times in one game, I’m pretty sure it’s not an accident. If you’ve pitched enough, you can tell a mistake from intentional and its amazing how open inning becomes the time when the other pitcher decides to hit middle.

JohnO28, I ump for One Nation. I only ump young man’s ball and have never heard of that rule about the screens. In fact I’ve never witnessed any team ever using a screen.
Is that a senior rule?

Stick8 - yes - senior rule in most associations. We just came back from TPSSA worlds in GA. We used net the entire tournament. Honestly, it was the most enjoyable time I’ve had a year at a tournament. I did all the pitching. One team shared ours when the sun was directly in the pitchers eyes. I also saw one 50 Major team using one. We are 55 Major. I feel like SSUSA making it optional would make everyone happy. If you don’t like the net, you don’t have to use it.

In TPSSA, I was still able to pitch from the front or back just couldn’t pitch it over the screen. The screen had to be lined up from the middle of the rubber over to the non pitch hand side. I couldn’t touch the ball first. There was no arguing or animosity about hitting middle. Sure, a couple of dribblers wound up being hits because I couldn’t field it first but it’s all about the percentages. I see it the same way as the decision to play a five man or 4 outfielders. No one makes you play a five man just like no one makes you use a screen when it’s optional.

I’ve reached out to SSUSA and they quickly responded. It will be brought up to the CEO and committee. I hope they sincerely consider it. I believe more people would play and it is safer with the type of bats we get to use (which I like) and diminishing reaction time as we get older. Like I said, it should be optional (NOT MANDATORY).

As a pitcher I'm not a fan of the screens at all...it causes you to alter pitching style and also keeps you from making plays...one thing that's never mentioned (and I know will never happen) but maybe tone down the bats and balls and it wouldn't be an issue but then again all the guys that love hitting it a mile wouldn't be able to do that as much anymore so will never happen...I'm pretty sure I will retire when screens are brought into SSUSA not that that will affect anything when I do...

John Eddinger- I agree with you on this matter, except the one rule i would make is that BOTH teams would have to agree to use a net. I've never played TPSSA, so i do not know what their ruling is on this.

Hitting10th - if both teams need to agree, wouldn’t that make it mandatory not optional? Not arguing just trying to understand. TPSSA allows each team to decide. You have to provide your own screen. Only one team asked to use ours (which was fine) when the sun became an issue. I would move it on and off when we were in the field. Quick and easy. One guy did complain about the net (probably because he kept hitting it). But if a 4’x7’ screen affects you, I’d said it’s your hitting not the net.

Pigpened- it did take some creativity away from my pitching but I was ok with that. I really liked not having to dress like a knight and fear for my life ????. For me, softball is a hitters game so the fielding aspect of pitching doesn’t bother me. I was actually faster covering first and second after the ball passed the screen. Would you retire if SSUSA introduced screens as an option only? Sincerely, I'm trying to understand how it would affect you if you could still pitch without a screen when your team is in the field. No animosity toward your opinion. When the other team asked to use ours for the last few innings, it didn’t affect anyone on our team. A couple guys hit the screen but just made adjustments when needed.

First thing how the hell are you John. Its been awhile... USSSA we played in this weekend it was optional. The team we played used it and we didn't. It was a team choice.

Jerry
Team Rage

John - I wouldn't retire if mandatory but for me, would not be the same. I get the safety issue; I really do which is why I wear the helmet when playing SSUSA. When I am not required, I don't. I also play 65M so maybe I am not as worried as you would be playing 55M where I am sure balls come back much faster.

Optional is fine, just worried about rule/net consistency which, as an umpire as well, I always try and be, consistent. When you don't have a steadfast rule applied consistently, there is always a possibility of a missed call because it's not something that happens in EVERY game. Too many guys complain about umpires, too high, too flat, out of the box, etc. so now you add a net rule that is used occasionally, could be asking for trouble IMO.

Also, there are different nets, you mentioned 4'x7', to me, that is WAY too big, should be the size of a Pitch Safe net at a maximum but again, that might honestly not be possible for every team as Pitch Safe isn't making them any more I believe.

Finally, what happens when you have a tournament you are flying to (ex. Vegas), someone's check bag is now used for the net? :-)

I should also add that I am a bit prejudiced as my league uses a net, and as I was trying to get behind it because I was not allowed to field the ball, I got hit in the back leg (50M player smoked a ball), leg got infected and was a bit of a mess which cost me quite a bit of down time and money to get fixed. Now, if I didn't have that net, I am sure I make that play (been pitching a LONG time, my instincts are to make the play, so doing something "abnormal" for me got me in trouble, go figure! lol)

Excellent debate will be interesting what the Committee decides. Happy Thanksgiving and holidays to all!

TeamRage13 (Jerry) - I’m great! Really good to hear from you.

mck71 - all valid points! Especially with umpires. One ball this weekend did graze the screen but the umpire didn’t call it. I told him it hit the screen and he said it may have been the wind from the ball. We laughed and I agreed. Oh well. I only used the measurements of 4’x7’ because that’s what TPSSA allows. I’m open to a smaller screen. I have a GO Sports screen that easily fits in my roller bag but I get the concern with flying with one. There definitely is some trust required to stand behind the screen and hope it works.

I appreciate everyone’s thoughts/opinions on this topic. Change can be hard but I think it can work. And it should never be mandatory.

I find it hard to believe that if a team elects to use a screen then the other team must use the screen. It should be optional, never mandatory.
The debate is if a screen is used can the pitcher be a fielder? Personally I favor what ISSA does. Pitcher can’t be the first one to touch the ball. At the Smokies back in May I didn’t witness very many screens.
Just my $0.02

I agree with everything you said.

Stick8,

I thought the same thing, but if you play One Nation(not available everywhere I know) the rules state that if one team wants to use the pitching screen both teams have to use it. It's not optional for the other team which to me makes no sense and I've been fighting with them over it for the past 2 years. If it's an option for 1 team it should be an option for both teams. Makes no sense to me.

We play in other organizations where the net is optional. One team can use a net and the other choose not too. I think it should never be mandatory, however I do think it should be an option. With today's bat technology softballs have a much higher exit velocity and that will continue to increase. No one ever asks, "What is a weaker bat to purchase?"...it's always what is the hottest bat. I don't pitch in senior ball but do pitch some in young men ball. I've never used a net in a game. Yes, pitchers know the risk but give them the option to use a net. Most of us have to be at work on Monday.

I am not a pitcher, but I have played a few games in which the pitcher chose to use a net. As a batter, I found that the pitcher was able to move the ball around much better without fear of a ball getting hit up the middle. They were not afraid to throw a low outside pitch with two strikes, which is the only pitch that I may accidentally hit back up the middle when trying to hit a line drive to center field or hit over the 2nd baseman's head. I thought it made him a better pitcher.

JohnO28,
Here is the One Nation rule on screens:(from 3 years ago but I think it’s the same)
“A game may not commence until both teams either use a screen or do not use a screen. This decision (if screens are available) would be decided at the home plate meeting pre-game. If teams cannot agree the the screen WILL be used”

Seems a bit odd to me