Understanding NCAA Requirements and Benefits of Sport Pads

The NCAA mandates the installation of sport pads on hard surfaces near playing areas by 2027 to enhance player safety. Sport pads help reduce injuries from falls, slides, and collisions, improving player safety and performance. This allows players to engage more aggressively and competitively without fear of injury.

Rule Change For Baseball:

• Protective Fencing/Netting: Facilities must have protective fencing or netting on the field side of the dugout, at least 3 feet high. This is required immediately for Division I and by Jan. 1, 2025, for Divisions II and III.
• Padding on Hard Surfaces: It is recommended to pad all hard surfaces (backstops, sidelines, and outfield fences) that a player might collide with during play.

Rule Change For Softball:

• Padding Requirements (Jan. 1, 2027): Sideline and home run fences made of hard materials (e.g., wood, concrete, brick) must be padded. Padding must start within 1 foot of the ground and extend to the top of the fence or 6 feet high, whichever is shorter. Backstops made of these materials must also be padded. This rule aims to reduce injuries from contact with hard surfaces.

Various types of sport pads are available, including interlocking tiles, roll-out mats, and shock-absorbing pads. The industry standard for sport padding is 3 inches of foam with wood backing. The best choice for a facility depends on specific needs such as the level of play, frequency of use, and budget. Dugouts, backstops, fencing, bullpens, warning tracks, batting cages, sidelines, bleacher areas, and perimeter walls are all areas that can benefit from sport pad installation.