Fences or no Fences

[guero_gordo]

Every baseball tourney I go to has fences up, but almost never do I see them for fastpitch.

I like them anyway, but I am also biased: DD can hit a country mile, but ain't that fast.

 

[iMlearning]

I like these responses. Of course I like the fences because when our power girls come up, the fielders back way up...coach guessed at about 210 in many cases. We have big girls in the 4,5,6,7 spot but our #2 and #3 lead in home runs...#2 has never hit one out and is a senior, and #3 as a junior has hit one out in her career. Coach jokes that #4 is so slow if she ran any slower she'd go backwards, yet she crushes the ball. This past showcase we got stuck on a baseball field three games in a row. I think the fences help even out things a bit for the slower more powerful girls

 

[CoogansBluff]

I used to coach at a park where we ran tournaments, and two of the fields were 300 feet. We didn't have temporary fences, and I'd hear an occasional parent complain. (Eventually we bought two temp fences.)

At the time, my daughter was in 10U, so hardly anybody at 12U or below was a threat to hit one out. I thought no fences were fine because it gave players the opportunity to get a HR. It's about kids having fun, right? It was like the pickup games I played as a kid on some great big field.

So my question then was, 'Do the girls care if there's a fence?' At that age, no. Only parents and coaches care.

However, now my daughter is 14, and she can hit the ball over. Do I want there to be a fence?

Hell yeah! And so does she.

 

[iMlearning]

I used to coach at a park where we ran tournaments, and two of the fields were 300 feet. We didn't have temporary fences, and I'd hear an occasional parent complain. (Eventually we bought two temp fences.)

At the time, my daughter was in 10U, so hardly anybody at 12U or below was a threat to hit one out. I thought no fences were fine because it gave players the opportunity to get a HR. It's about kids having fun, right? It was like I used to play as a kid on some big field. My question then was, 'Do you girls care if there's a fence?' At that age, no. Only parents and coaches care.

However, now my daughter is 14 and can hit the ball over. Do I want there to be a fence?

Hell yeah! And so does she.

I've seen tears of joy after a girl hits one out of the park...it's a special moment, and it's not always me tearing up

 

[CoogansBluff]

I've seen tears of joy after a girl hits one out of the park...it's a special moment, and it's not always me tearing up

My daughter's first over-the-fence HR was in May, and you're right, it's a special moment. Given the history and tradition and dare I say romance of the home run in American sports, there might not be a neater thing that a kid can do as a single individual accomplishment than to hit a ball over the fence and run around the bases. I never hit one myself, so I might've enjoyed it more than she did. But not by much. She was pretty thrilled.

 

[canyonjoe]

Especially if you are playing on turf. We played a couple on turf with no temp fences (there was a 300' slowpitch fence). If it got by OF it was an HR. Last few when we played there they had them. My DD has hit the fence on a fly. Hope to see her put some out someday.

 

[MountieSB]

Fences! I hate outfielders moving back to 200 ft. for our killers, only to have 220 ft. shots turn into routine fly ball outs and shots to the gap turn into singles.

 

[SCDad]

In the park home runs do not really count in upper level, competitive softball. If there are no fences.

Our area is seeing 220' regulation fences at the big tournaments. I like it the best, for it separates the big hitters from the average. Plus the big hitters get more green in front to drive the ball as they are given more respect deep.

But 200' fences are great also. A long fly ball by a power hitter goes out, and can add up the home run total pretty quick.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

My proposal:

Up through 12U - 180' fences

14U, 16U - 200' fences

18U, high school and colleges: Anything you like as long as it is at least 200' and not more than 230'

 

[MsDinosaur]

Yes to fences. Grounders that bounce and roll to the left or right corner of the field should not be automatic home runs.