Team Insight

Markwort Acquires Xelerator Markwort Sporting Goods continues its product expansion with the acquisition earlier this spring of the second generation Xelerator Fastpitch Softball Trainer from Ken Roudybush. The Xelerator Fastpitch Softball Trainer is designed to help soft- ball pitchers improve by creating correct muscle memory for a consistent pitching plane. Pitchers learn the proper arm length, pitching plane, turn point and balance. They also build arm speed, endurance and strength and it can also be used to warmup pre-game. Dr. Fauci Points To Team Sports For COVID Spread Just as the world of youth sports began to see the light at the end of the dugout in emerging from COVID-mandated isolation, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, threw a little cold water on that optimism. Ask this spring on "Good Morning America" about the fact that coronavirus variants are now infecting younger people – as well as what that means for parents and what they should do about school, sports and extracurricular activities – Dr. Fauci pointed directly at youth sports as a factor. "We're finding out that it's the team sports where kids are getting together, you know, obviously many without masks, that are driving it, rather than in the class- room spread," Fauci told ABC's George Stephanopoulos. "When you go back and take a look and try and track where these clusters of cases are coming from in the school, it's just that," he continued. NFHS Warns Against Shiny Baseball Shoes Sometimes style gets in the way of safety — in this case, it is the reflective spikes pitchers are using to look good, but which are poten- tially distracting and dangerous to batters. The issue came to the fore recently when the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) was informed by two states about an issue where baseball shoes worn by pitchers with a mirror-like finish on the sole plate cause a glare that is distracting to hitters. In response, Elliot Hopkins, director of sports, sanctioning and student services for NFHS, sent a memo to state associations reminding them that "any uniform or player's equipment that is reflective or has a mirror- like surface can be possibly distracting to both the batter and defensive players alike. We have several rules in place to address these areas. "Notwithstanding, it has been brought to our attention that certain brands of baseball shoes worn by the pitcher, that have a mirror- like finish on the sole plate, have distracted batters with the light reflecting off the bottom of the shoe," the memo continues. HDA Partners With American Special Hockey Association The Hockey Dealers Association (HDA), a division of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), has entered into a part- nership with the American Special Hockey Association (ASHA) to establish oppor- tunities for both organizations to build connections and grow the industry. ASHA has been going through an overhaul of its association under the leadership of executive director Jen O'Brien by creating a new strategic plan to increase its reach and impact on children and adults. In four years, ASHA has grown from 55 programs to more than 100 established Special Hockey Clubs throughout the United States. ASHA has also grown its presence in Canada and sup- porting Special Hockey Clubs and remote communities. With more than 5000 regis- tered participants from all ages and abilities starting at the age of five, ASHA continues to grow its reach and help bring hockey to the special needs community. "The hope is to reach the community at large that special hockey is growing," O'Brien says. "We could not do this without the help of the sporting goods industry. Our partnership with NSGA/HDA is focused on building relationships that grow opportuni- ties for both the special hockey programs and the sporting goods industry. The help from the industry with donations of much- needed gear has been great for the growth of our special hockey programs. Westside Skate and Stick, located in New York and a member of HDA, has been one of our most generous retailers to help with our special hockey programs in New York City." n END ZONE SFIA/NFHS/NCAA Hold 2021 Rules Meetings The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NCAA held their annual rules meeting in April (the meeting was held virtually) in a collaborative effort to coordinate rules changes in youth, high school and collegiate sports with the challenges faced sporting goods industry. In his annual State of the Team Sports Industry Report during the two-day event that reviewed a year of COVID-driven challenges, Tom Cove, president & CEO of SFIA, said that, "Coming out of a year dominated by COVID challenges, the team sports industry is in a position to rebound in 2021." One key takeaway of the meeting was that NFHS and NCAA are likely to try to minimize rule changes affecting uniforms and equipment, unless it is related to a safety issue, because of the financial crunch schools are facing because of revenues lost from COVID. Another is that some COVID-related rules that are likely to carry over into the 2021-22 school year. Among the rules changes impacting team sports: Football: The NFHS rule regarding gray home jersey goes into effect with the 2021 fall season. Jerseys must be a 70 percent grade of gray or up to be permissible and white jerseys can't have any shade of gray. Vegas Gold-colored jerseys are currently permissible to be worn by the home team. As of 2024 the entire body of the jersey number must be a single, solid color that clearly contrasts with the body of the jersey. Baseball: The NOCSAE requirements for baseballs and commotio cordis chest protectors are now in place for high school baseball. NCAA barrel compression testing of bats started in 2020 for Division I, but was delayed for Divisions II and III until 2022. Softball: The NCAA, NFHS and USA Softball are looking to get aligned on a change on specifications of the softball that would impact the compression. NCAA bat testing of barrel compression before regular-season games goes into effect for all divisions in 2022. Lacrosse: NFHS did not publish new rules for 2021 season, but changes to the 2020 rules will be implemented in the 2021 season. For girls' lacrosse, equipment shall not be modified from its original manufactured state and shall be worn in the manner the manufacturer intended it to be worn. 34 Team Insight ~ May/June 2021 teaminsightmag.com

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