Competitive softball is played at a very high level by females in high school, college and in the professional ranks. Nearly all of these elite players start playing as youngsters. Some of the leagues involving players who are age 9 to 12 are quite advanced and competitive. Rules pertaining to young softball players emphasize safety, participation and fair play.
Pitching
It takes quite a bit of time and effort for pitchers to develop their talent and skill level. In order to be an effective pitcher, 9-to-12-year-old girls learn how to throw fastball, curves, risers, drops and change-ups. Additionally, pitchers have to learn to throw these pitches within the rules. All pitches must be delivered from within the pitcher's circle. Pitchers may not step backwards or to the side when throwing a pitch. Pitchers may not try to deceive batters by throwing behind the back, between the knees or with a discontinued motion.
Player Safety
All batters must wear helmets from the moment they come out of the dugout. The helmet must be made of hard plastic and cover both ears. The batter must wear the helmet in the batter's box and on the bases. She must also wear the helmet in the on-deck circle. All catchers must wear catcher's masks, chest protectors and shin guards. The catcher's mask must have a throat protector that attaches to the bottom of it. A safety base for the runner will be used at first base. The white base on the inside is used by the fielder to make plays while the orange base located right next to it is used by the runner.
Player Positions
Coaches in 9-to-12-year-old softball can use 10 players in the field. The extra fielder is almost always positioned in the outfield; however, that player may be positioned at the coach's discretion. The fielder can be positioned anywhere in fair territory. The batting lineup also has 10 players. The coach can bat the players in the field or she can choose to use a designated hitter for any one of the fielders. While a designated hitter can be used for a pitcher in baseball, the DH can bat for any player in softball. The DH is an option for the coach and it is not mandatory.
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