SFIA applauded the NFHS decision to extend the implementation date of the new NOCSAE standard for NFHS baseballs to January 1, 2020.

In July 2017, the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) said that starting January 1, 2019, all baseballs used in high school competition had to meet the NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) standard at the time of manufacture. The standards measure the ball’s circumference, mass, coefficient of restitution and compression deflection.

SFIA said in a brief statement, “This decision will benefit high school teams, schools and leagues, as well as the baseball industry, to make an efficient and effective transition to the new standard. SFIA and its member companies appreciate the effort of NFHS Board of Directors and Executives to address this challenge.”

NFHS’s full release on the 2018-19 Baseball Rules Changes Focus on Pitching Mechanics is here.