Bat Standards

Bat Standards / Normes de Batons

Updated April 2019 / Mis à jour en avril 2019

Softball Canada does not currently have its own bat certification program but endorses the following bat standards for Canadian Championships.

Softball Canada recognizes bats certified by both USA Softball and the WBSC for use in Fastpitch competitions and USA Softball, the WBSC, and USSSA for Slo-pitch play.

Softball Canada n'a pas actuellement son propre programme de certification des bâtons, mais approuve les normes de bâtons suivantes pour les championnats canadiens.

Softball Canada reconnaît les bâtons certifiés par USA Softball et la WBSC pour une utilisation dans les compétitions de balle rapide et USA Softball, la WBSC et l'USSSA pour le jeu de balle lente.

Fastpitch Male (Up to U19) and Female (All Levels) / Fastpitch Masculin (jusqu'à U19) et féminin (tous niveaux)

Acceptable Certification Stamps / Timbres de certification acceptables :

• Any bat that appears on the WBSC Softball Approved Bat List and has a current ISF certification stamp (2005 only) will be accepted for play at a Softball Canada event, or
• Any bat that appears on the USA Softball Approved Bat List and has an ASA 2000 or 2004 certification stamp will also be accepted for play at a Softball Canada event.
• The bat must meet the compression standards outlined by the certifying organization and may be tested to ensure they are in the proper range.
• The bat must still pass a visual inspection per the current Softball Canada rulebook.

Fastpitch Adult Male (U23 and Above) / Fastpitch Adulte Homme (U23 et plus)

Acceptable Certification Stamps / Timbres de certification acceptables :

• Any bat that appears on the WBSC Approved Bat List and has a current ISF certification stamp (2005 only) will be accepted for play at a Softball Canada event, or
• Any bat that appears on the USA Softball Approved Bat List and has an ASA 2000, ASA 2004, or ASA 2013 certification stamp will also be accepted for play at a Softball Canada event.
• The bat must meet the compression standards outlined by the certifying organization and may be tested to ensure that they are in the proper range.
• The bat must still pass a visual inspection per the current Softball Canada rulebook.

Slo-pitch (All) / Balle Lente (Tous)

Acceptable Certification Stamps / Timbres de certification acceptables :

All other bats are not approved for use.  Non-approved Bats shall be removed from competition and visibly marked (i.e. tape). Teams should be advised that attempted use during the game will, by rule, result in ejection. 

Updated November 2020

• Any bat that appears on the WBSC Approved Bat List and has a current ISF certification stamp (2005 only) will be accepted for play in Softball Canada competition, or
• Any bat that appears on the USA Softball Approved Bat List and has an ASA 2000 or ASA 2004 certification stamp will also be accepted for play in Softball Canada competition (the ASA 2013 certification stamp is no longer accepted for endorsement in Slo-pitch competition),  
• Any bat that has a new USSSA certification stamp and is not on the USSSA Withdrawn/Non-Compliant List will also be accepted for play in Softball Canada competition.
• The bat must meet the compression standards outlined by the certifying organization and may be tested to ensure that they are in the proper range.
• The bat must still pass a visual inspection per the current Softball Canada rulebook

Note: Bats with an ASA 2013 certification stamp may still be eligible for use in Slo-pitch competition if they are eligible under WBSC (ISF) or USSSA certification.

New:  USSSA has recently adopted a new certification stamp (NTS Stamp shown above) that will begin appearing on new bats in 2021. Bats with the former stamp will continue to be accepted as well. USSSA certification is accepted for Slo-Pitch competition only.

For further information, please contact Mike Branchaud at mbranchaud@softball.ca.