04/10/26 – NFHS Information on Softball Bat Wraps

April 10, 2026 Athletic Department Blog Updates

Print

The NFHS has been alerted to a product that is being marketed as a bat barrel wrapping which covers the bat’s graphics. The covering is shrink-wrapped to the bat barrel, which poses several issues associated with bat compliance and is therefore prohibited from NFHS softball competition. Specifically, NFHS rules require:

1. Bats that are crack free. Bat wraps potentially cover cracks and could make them undetectable to the coach and/or umpire.
2. Bats that bear 2000, 2004, or the USA Softball All Games certification mark (except all wood bats made of a single piece of wood).
3. Bats that do not contain materials inside the bat or treatments/devices are used to alter the bat specifications and/or enhance performance.

A bat wrapping that covers the bat barrel also covers potential cracks, the USA Softball certification mark and the bat model name and number and would be considered an altered bat per NFHS Softball Rules 1-5-1 and 2-4-2a. Bat wraps are not permitted for NFHS softball competition.

And finally, the NFHS adheres to the USA Softball Bat Certification program. USA Softball has also prohibited this product for its championship play.

Any questions should be directed to the NFHS offices.

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 291 member schools, both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 229 state championships to 59 teams and 178 individuals in 13 sports and six sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 109,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches and licenses and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.

Print