Wheelchair softball gives those with disabilities that confine them to wheelchairs the opportunity to participate in one of the most popular recreational sports in the country. Wheelchair softball follows most rules of 16-inch slow-pitch softball as set up by the Amateur Softball Association of America. The National Wheelchair Softball Association was founded in 1976, and the sport has become so popular that a national tournament is now held annually.
The Playing Field
Instead of a field of grass, wheelchair softball is played on a smooth, level surface, and the bases are 50 feet apart.
Replacing the traditional bases are drawn circles 4 feet in diameter and colored in white. Both runners and fielders must have at least one wheel or one hand touching part of the circle to successfully tag the base.
Playing Rules
The central rule of wheelchair softball is that players must stay in their chairs at all times. Any player with at least one lower extremity touching the ground while hitting, fielding or moving from one base to the next is subject to penalty. A hitter with a lower extremity touching the ground during an at-bat will be ruled out, and all base runners must return to their previous base. A fielder who puts a lower extremity on the ground renders a dead-ball situation in which the umpire awards base runners at least one extra base.
Equipment
The main rule of equipment in wheelchair softball is that no motorized wheelchairs may be used. Manual chairs with foot rests--to prevent feet from touching the ground and causing a rules violation--are necessary. In addition, players need only the standard 16-inch softball, bats and gloves.
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