ASA Coed Softball Rules

In a world which is actually not devoid of gender discrimination, though there are claims that it is so, there is at least one field where it is not done and it is sports. Yes, and it does actually concern a 'field'! I am referring to ASA coed softball here, no prizes for guessing that! All the same, on a serious note, ASA coed Softball is a very innovative and intelligent endeavor by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), USA. The ASA coed softball refers to established set of rules, same for men and women, giving both a chance to play at par with each other. The ASA makes the coed games fair and challenging for both by giving alternative to some of the basic softball rules. Coed refers to teams having both men and women and not just all men or all women teams.

ASA Softball Rules and Regulations

The ASA softball rules are not too hard to grasp and remember as there isn't a huge list of the rules either. While the core of the rules is going to be the same, the modifications and alterations in the rules have been done keeping in mind the fact that both the sexes are playing shoulder to shoulder.

Teams
A single ASA coed team should have 10 members, with 5 men and 5 women. If this is not the formation, a team cannot register as an ASA coed team. Moreover, the rules also say that ASA rules also specify that two males and two females must be present in infield and outfield and there has to be one male and female pitcher and catcher.

The Game Play
According to the ASA Softball rules, a game should have 7 innings and if the score is tied after the 7th inning, then the game continues. Extra innings will be carried on till a team has scored more than the other at the end of a complete inning. As far as batting is concerned in the game play, the batting will have alternate members of both sexes in the batting order. This order has to be given to the umpire before the match and it is mostly male-female, male-female. In case of females batting, an 11-inch red-stitch ball is in play, likewise when men are bating a 12-inch ball is used. In case of pitching, there are four types of pitches - fast pitch, modified pitch, slow pitch and 16-inch slow pitch, with varying and specific rule sets.

These are the basic ASA rules. The detailed rules can be checked out in the book of the ASA softball rules released annually. All the same, there are some exceptions, as usual to these softball rules. Here is taking a stock of them too!

Exceptions and Special ASA Softball Rules

There cannot be rules without exceptions and that is where all the fun lies! In ASA coed softball rules, too, there are such instances and along with these fundamental rules, there are some special rules as well. These are -

• A game or games can be called off in case the umpire deems necessary, reasons primarily being anything potentially dangerous for the players.
• In case of the usage of the wrong ball, the manager of the offense takes a call regarding accepting the play or to force it to be replayed with the appropriate ball.
• in the advent of a pitcher walking a male batter, the batter takes two-bases.
• If a couple of outs happen while the earlier point is happening, the female batter up next can take a walk instead of batting if she wants to.
• In case a shorthanded play is necessary, then there can be an exception to 5 men and 5 women rule as well as the two males and two females in infield and outfield rule.

These were the exceptions to the softball rules and regulations. Apart from these and the above, actually the core of the rules remains the same as baseball. That's all for now!