Fastpitch softball has something of a shoe fetish, albeit of a different sort than the shoe worship of the characters on "Sex and the City." The shoe fetish in softball is focused on maximizing safety and performance: The tension between these two goals is evident in the rules of the governing bodies of fastpitch softball. The National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations; the NCAA, which establishes the rules for women's college fastpitch softball; and the Amateur Softball Association, which sets the rules for other recreational and competitive softball leagues and teams, and the U.S. Olympic teams -- all continue to wrestle with the issue.
ASA Rules
The specifications by the ASA regarding shoes begin in a thoroughly noncontroversial manner: "[Shoes] must be worn by all players." Shoes can be make with canvas, leather or similar materials. Soles can be smooth or made with soft or hard rubber cleats.
From there, the ASA enters into the shoe controversy. "Ordinary metal sole or heel plates may be used if the spikes on the plates do not extend more than 3/4 of an inch from the sole or heel of the shoe." The ASA seems to come down firmly on the side of allowing spikes -- or does it?
Exceptions
After discussing the type of steel spikes allowed under ASA rules--no round metal spikes, no shoes with detachable spikes that screw on, although spikes that screw into the shoes are okay--the ASA concludes with a giant caveat. "EXCEPTION: All Junior Olympic Fast and Slow Pitch, Coed Slow Pitch, and Senior Slow Pitch Play: No metal spikes nor hard plastic or polyurethane spikes similar to metal sole and heel plates are allowed."
Analysis
Barring metal spikes for recreational players seems prudent. As the Men's Softball Cleats website dryly notes, "One thing to keep in mind is that for a recreational league you will likely want to buy cleats with plastic spikes, as metal spikes can lead to injury, especially if you're playing in the type of league that allows drinking." But the ban on steel spikes for Junior Olympic programs is more problematic. The Junior Olympic program is the ASA's youth program, and age 18-and-under teams play for a national championship in that division. Essentially, these high school kids are allowed to wear steel spikes on their high school team but not on the Junior Olympic team. In this regard, the ASA has taken a stand in opposition to the rules of the NFHSA and NCAA.
Considerations
Both the proponents and opponents of steel spikes make compelling cases. High school kids who use steel spikes tend to suffer catastrophic injuries, such as a pitcher who caught her spikes and ripped apart the ACL in her knee, a batter who broke her ankle sliding into a base, or a third basemen who was sliced up by the spikes of an opponent sliding into her base. On the other hand, steel spikes give better traction and more speed, while helping to prevent slipping, especially on hard or wet fields. The controversy is likely to continue until the statistical evidence on injuries becomes more conclusive. A study by the Centers for Disease Control in 2006 found there were about two injuries for each 1,000 potential incidents in both baseball, where steel spikes are common, and softball.
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