Bat Rules

Baseball bat performance standards are primarily defined by three major youth sports associations - USSSA, USA Baseball, and NFHS

USSSA

The United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) is one of the largest baseball associations in the United States. Non-wood bats must not exceed the 1.15 BPF. BPF stands for Batting Performance Factor and measures how fast a ball comes off the bat. Non-wood bats must be labeled with the USSSA 1.15 BPF stamp to be considered legal. Also, USSSA allows BBCOR certified and wood bats. For details on BBCOR certified bats, see NFHS below. Read USSSA standards for more details.

USA Baseball

USA Baseball is another large baseball association which includes AABC, Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken, Little League Baseball, and PONY Baseball as members. In 2018, USA Baseball implemented a more restrictive bat standard for youth baseball. This standard results in non-wood bats having wood-like performance. The bats have a USABat stamp. Read USA Bat standards for more details.

NFHS

National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) governs high school sports around the country. NFHS requires non-wood bats to be BBCOR certified. BBCOR stands for Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution and is another measure of how a ball exits when connecting with a bat. No-wood bats must be labeled with the BBCOR Certified .50 stamp to be considered legal. Also, NFHS allows wood bats.

What does KVBSA follow?

For 8U through 14U, KVBSA follows the standards defined by USSSA. For 15U through 18U, KVBSA follows the standards defined by NFHS. (Note: For 15U through 18U, USSSA follows NFHS as well so technically, KVBSA follows the USSSA standards for all age groups.)

Can USA Baseball certified bats be used in KVBSA?

Yes. The USA Bat performance standards are more restrictive than USSSA so they meet the USSSA guidelines. Note: If you choose to use these bats, you may find yourself at a competitive disadvantage to a team using the less restrictive USSSA standard.

Which bats are allowed at tournaments?

This will depend on the tournament. If the tournament is sanctioned by USSSA, their standards will be used. If the tournament is sanctioned by one of USA Baseball's members, their standards will be used. For other tournaments, you will need to ask the tournament director what standard they follow.