CEDAR RAPIDS — The annual rumors are out there.
But Larry Niemeyer said Monday that he intends to coach girls’ basketball at Cedar Rapids Jefferson next season, which would be his 51st.
“As far as I know, I’m coming back,” he said. “I’m not planning to retire.”
Niemeyer holds an 854-323 career record, 520-232 in 32 years at Jefferson. The J-Hawks finished 12-10 this season after falling to Waterloo West in a Class 4A regional semifinal.
The nation’s winningest softball coach, Niemeyer needs 13 victories to reach 2,000 for his career.

Scott Saville, Jeff Johnson, and Jeff Linder talk about this week in football, cross country and more!

One-to-nothing high school softball games are about to become much less common.
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has announced that the pitching rubber will be moved back 3 feet, to 43 feet, next summer.
In July, the National Federation of High Schools mandated the change, effective 2011, “to bring more offense to the high school level,” according to IGHSAU assistant director Joel Oswald.
Iowa is making the switch a year ahead of the mandate.
“I think it will be a good change. We’d might as well go to it now; we’re early …

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union announced Tuesday that the pitching distance for high school and junior high softball will be moved back from 40 to 43 feet for the 2010 season.
Jeff Linder reported in July, during the state softball tournament, that the new distance would be adopted by the summer of 2011. http://iowaprepsports.com/2009/07/25/softball-pitchers-moving-back-3-feet/
You can read this and other rule changes in the release from the IGHSAU.
IGHSAU Softball Rules Changes Effective Summer 2010
 
Effective with the summer 2010 softball season, the pitching distance for junior high and high school softball …

CEDAR RAPIDS — It no longer appears an issue of if.
It’s when.
Cedar Valley Christian, a small private school in southeast Cedar Rapids, looks to be headed toward sanctioning by the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union for interscholastic competition.
A preliminary meeting was held Monday night; a follow-up is scheduled for next week.
“We’re getting input from our families, and our school board is very interested,” said Jan Todd, the school’s athletics director. “We’re trying to determine how it will impact our families.”
Todd said that Cedar …

At long last, nearly a month after the close of the state tournament, the state softball teams will be released Friday.
The Iowa Girls Coaches Association’s list will mirror that of those the IGHSAU had put together in recent years — an Elite team, three class teams and an honorable mention for each class.
The teams will be in Friday’s Gazette.

Here are the Iowa Girls Coaches Association all-district softball teams, released Wednesday:
Class 4A here.
Class 3A here.
Class 2A here.
Class 1A here.

Clear Creek Amana wrapped up an undefeated high school softball season Friday with a Class 3A state title. Here’s a list of Iowa’s softball unbeatens:

2009: Clear Creek Amana, 45-0
1977: Urbandale, 44-0
1976: Ottumwa, 32-0
1973: Clear Creek, 38-0
1969: Wapsie Valley, 22-0

Three more feet in two years. Or maybe next year.
The National Federation of State High School Associations has mandated that all states implement a 43-foot pitching distance for the 2010-11 school year.
Iowa is one of a few states that uses a 40-foot distance for pitchers, and three of those states are making the switch in 2010, according to Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union assistant director Joel Oswald.
All college levels use a 43-foot distance, as does ASA.
“We will make that change in 2011, and after the softball coaches’ committee meets …

FORT DODGE — Past failure fueled perfection.
Top-ranked Clear Creek Amana completed Iowa’s first undefeated softball season in 32 years, capitalizing on some early defensive missteps by No. 3 Carlisle and cruising, 3-0, in the Class 3A state final Friday at the Rogers Sports Complex.
“I don’t know what to say,” said all-tournament captain Moriah Morrissey, who pitched the Clippers to their sixth straight postseason shutout. “I’m in awe.”
And the Clippers (45-0) are in exclusive company. They’re the fifth Iowa team to go unscratched throughout a season, the first since Urbandale went …