Spring Baseball online Registration is now open. The link is on the bottom right-hand corner of this site. The fee to participate is the same for the third-consecutive year - $185 per child ($500 family maximum) for ages 6 and older and $150 for T-ball. Non-Hoover residents must pay an extra $50 fee to participate.
Onsite registration is scheduled for Jan 14 and 21 from 10am to 3pm at Regions Park.
Also, beginning JANUARY 1, 2012, Shades Mountain Community Park WILL ONLY ALLOW the use of Big Barrel baseball bats (2⅝” or 2¾”) and Small Barrel Bats for 14U and below play provided the bat (must meet 1 of the following:) – (1) has a printed stamp evidencing the bat has a BPF* rating of 1.15 or less that is prominently and permanently displayed on the taper; (2) has a BBCOR** mark permanently attached to the bat that is recognized by NFHS as a legal bat for NFHS sanctioned play and has no more than a minus 3 ounces difference from the length of the bat (which bat must be at least 29 inches long) or (3) is a Wood Bat.
This does NOT include Tball.
Penalty: First Offense – If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to above rule until a time during or after which the bat has been used in play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out and/or ejection from the game. If the umpire discovers that a bat has been used to put a ball in play and before the next legal pitch, the defensive team will have the choice of the result of play or the batter being called out and all runners returning to the base occupied before the pitch. Second Offense – If a team is found in violation of this rule a second time, then the manager will be ejected in addition to the First Offense penalty.
* Bat Performance Factor (BPF) is a standard developed by NYU Physics Professor, Dr. Richard A. Brandt, over 15 years ago. The BPF standard is based on fundamental laws of physics that measure the relative performance of bats which in lay terms, measures how a ball “jumps” off of a bat compared to how a ball rebounds off of a wall at a controlled speed. A bat rating of BPF 1.15 places an upper limit on a bat’s springiness or “trampoline effect”.
** Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) is the new standard measure of bat performance and replaces the previous BESR standard. For NFHS (high school) play, all bats must be BBCOR certified for the 2012 season. BESR (Ball Exit Speed Ratio) is no longer considered accurate enough to determine the actual performance of differing bat models. Instead of measuring the speed of the ball after it is batted, BBCOR measures the “bounciness” of the ball and bat, or the “trampoline” effect. According to the NFHS, “the new standard ensures that performances by non-wood bats are more comparable to those of wood bats. It’s also expected to minimize risk, improve play and increase teaching opportunities”. They also state “After working with the NCAA and having access to its research, we’ve concluded it’s in our best interest to make this change. BBCOR includes the BESR standard, so we’re actually expanding upon our current standard, which will be more appropriate for our age and skill level.”
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