New technology approved for high school softball, but Fox Chapel isn’t buying in just yet

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Fox Chapel softball coach Chris Olbrich doesn’t anticipate being among the first teams to use the one-way communication devices given the go-ahead nationally.

The National Federation of State High School Associations approved a rule change in early July that would allow high school softball coaches to use one-way communication devices with the catcher for the 2025 season.

“We just switched to calling out numbers instead of flashing fingers,” Olbrich said.

A similar rule was approved for high school baseball teams last season. One major reason that teams wanted to implement the technology was to speed up games, as relaying the signals took too long.

The cost of NCAA and NFHS-approved devices is nearly $300.

The NFHS will approve rules that each state may adopt. In this case, the PIAA allowed local high schools to use the devices for baseball last year.

NFHS Director of sports and liaison to the softball committee Sandy Searcy said that the numbers reflected a change should be made.

“This change is the result of analysis of current data, state association experimentation and a positive response from the membership,” Searcy said in a news release. “The committee has made these changes to support the use of emerging technology within the sport of softball. Being a permissive rule, the use of this one-way electronic communication will allow those who choose to embrace the technology an additional option to communicate with the catcher while on defense. It will also maintain the ability for those who prefer a more traditional approach to communicate using signals or a playbook/playcard to continue that approach.”

Olbrich said that he didn’t know of too many baseball teams around the WPIAL that utilized the technology last season. Since the rule only allows for communication between the coach and the catcher, Olbrich may be more interested in using the devices if more than one defender could use them.

“(Local coaches) all learn from each other,” Olbrich said. “I’d like to see how other people use it before I get comfortable with it. This is a move to put us in line with the college game.”

Fox Chapel’s softball team finished 7-10 last season with a 4-6 record in section play. The Foxes made the first round of the Class 5A playoffs where they lost to West Allegheny.

Olbrich anticipates it will be a few years before schools employ the technology.

“The size of the schools matter. I think it evolves as people get more comfortable with it,” Olbrich said.

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