2025 NFHS Softball Compression Specs

[Northball]

I don't see how the manufacturers will have to change anything other than what they print on the cover. MAXIMUM of 375 is what they've been producing, I presume they try to get as close to 375 as possible without creating a bunch that will be rejected. 325 +/- 50 still has a maximum of 375. If manufacturers can hold a tolerance of +/-5 (hypothetical), they will shoot for 370.
I don't think the new balls will carry any less.

 

[The Man In Blue]

The balls typically say "Max 375," but you may be right.

They also say this won't actually affect performance, though I don't know if I believe that.

Yeah, I had to laugh at that line. Of course it is going to impact the ball's performance! Why the heck else would you do it? Somebody's fortune teller told them they will be killed by a softball with the number "375" on it . . . so they changed the entire spec?

 

[The Man In Blue]

I don't see how the manufacturers will have to change anything other than what they print on the cover. MAXIMUM of 375 is what they've been producing, I presume they try to get as close to 375 as possible without creating a bunch that will be rejected. 325 +/- 50 still has a maximum of 375. If manufacturers can hold a tolerance of +/-5 (hypothetical), they will shoot for 370.
I don't think the new balls will carry any less.

But a previous ball marked 375 (+/-50) could take up to 425 lbs. of force to compress it and was legal. That ball would be out of spec now.

Of course, they could always go your route and just change the stamp on the cover. We don't know. The whole spec and NOCSAE thing is a well-intentioned honor system that generates some money for a few people.

 

[CoachJD]

But a previous ball marked 375 (+/-50) could take up to 425 lbs. of force to compress it and was legal. That ball would be out of spec now.

Of course, they could always go your route and just change the stamp on the cover. We don't know. The whole spec and NOCSAE thing is a well-intentioned honor system that generates some money for a few people.

What I'm wondering is does a ball that reads "Max 375" actually have the +/- 50 or not?

Also, why aren't new balls being sold? Why haven't they been producing/selling the new balls? There is no way this is just old stock because we've had a ball shortage over the post-COVID years. So these are balls being produced after the rule change (but before enforcement) with the old specs? And they're still not producing new ones?

I quite literally cannot find a single NFHS stamped ball at 325, which I guess might answer my original question. Every company isn't gonna not have a new ball mere months before they're required if the old ones are no longer any good.

 

[inumpire]

What I'm wondering is does a ball that reads "Max 375" actually have the +/- 50 or not?

Also, why aren't new balls being sold? Why haven't they been producing/selling the new balls? There is no way this is just old stock because we've had a ball shortage over the post-COVID years. So these are balls being produced after the rule change (but before enforcement) with the old specs? And they're still not producing new ones?

I quite literally cannot find a single NFHS stamped ball at 325, which I guess might answer my original question. Every company isn't gonna not have a new ball mere months before they're required if the old ones are no longer any good.

This was change back in 2021. The NCAA has went to the same spec. One of the biggest reasons they did was so the manufacturers could all be making one ball and not have to make different balls for different ABC organization so to speak.
Now it appears that the manufacturers have been dragging their feet with adjusting to the spec. They were the ones that pushed to have everyone use the same compression spec.
But just like the bat manufacturers, you can't believe the ball manufacturers either.

 

[clarity]

Yeah, I had to laugh at that line. Of course it is going to impact the ball's performance! Why the heck else would you do it? Somebody's fortune teller told them they will be killed by a softball with the number "375" on it . . . so they changed the entire spec?

OK, but how will it impact the ball's performance?

 

[CoachJD]

This was change back in 2021. The NCAA has went to the same spec. One of the biggest reasons they did was so the manufacturers could all be making one ball and not have to make different balls for different ABC organization so to speak.
Now it appears that the manufacturers have been dragging their feet with adjusting to the spec. They were the ones that pushed to have everyone use the same compression spec.
But just like the bat manufacturers, you can't believe the ball manufacturers either.

FWIW, I had the Administrator for softball at my state association confirm all the current Max 375 balls are legal. So maybe those do meet the current specs. I don't have any balls from pre-2021. At least nothing new to really compare to.

 

[The Man In Blue]

OK, but how will it impact the ball's performance?

 

[CHSUmp97]

Herein lies the conundrum. The previous softball spec allowed for the ball to be a minimum of 6-1/4 ounces in weight. The new spec has a minimum weight of 6-1/2 ounces. I have to believe the softballs marked "375 lbs. max", which have been around for a long time (I have a copy of the 2015 NFHS rule book that showed "375 lbs. max" as the compression spec), can be as light as 6-1/4 ounces, which would make them illegal in 2025.

Also, a softball that is marked "375 lbs. max" could have an actual compression of, say, 250 lbs. That makes it illegal in 2025 as well. So I guess my point is that there really needs to be a more compelling mark on softballs that are now legal under the new spec. We can't just assume that the softballs that currently say "375 lbs. max" comply with the new weight spec.

 

[CoachJD]

Herein lies the conundrum. The previous softball spec allowed for the ball to be a minimum of 6-1/4 ounces in weight. The new spec has a minimum weight of 6-1/2 ounces. I have to believe the softballs marked "375 lbs. max", which have been around for a long time (I have a copy of the 2015 NFHS rule book that showed "375 lbs. max" as the compression spec), can be as light as 6-1/4 ounces, which would make them illegal in 2025.

Also, a softball that is marked "375 lbs. max" could have an actual compression of, say, 250 lbs. That makes it illegal in 2025 as well. So I guess my point is that there really needs to be a more compelling mark on softballs that are now legal under the new spec. We can't just assume that the softballs that currently say "375 lbs. max" comply with the new weight spec.

I don't disagree with your logic, but A) the only balls for sale right now with an NFHS stamp all say 375 lbs max and B) I was told those balls are, in fact, legal.