That is correct. If LL mandated it for softball, they would have to mandate it for baseball, which means they will lose players to other ABC youth baseball organizations. I doubt we will see that rule in LL anytime soon.
Another young pitcher hurt by a ball
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That is correct. If LL mandated it for softball, they would have to mandate it for baseball, which means they will lose players to other ABC youth baseball organizations. I doubt we will see that rule in LL anytime soon.
- Jul 2, 2013
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DW has a nice scar on the inside of her elbow from a compound fracture she got during gymnastics. Required surgery and everything.
DD#2 was at 12U TB practice, they where working on bunting and bunt defense, she was pitching. Since they where just bunting at the time she left her mask off. 10 minutes later the outfield joins in and they switch to some relay work with the coach hitting it into the outfield after just a couple hits she decides to put her mask on, i'm watching practice and think to myself smart girl. A few hits later the coach accidently line drives one right at her. She's not really expecting it, but gets her glove up and nocks it down, as it almost takes her head off. Had she been a little less focused and not had her mask on it could have ended very badly. On the way home I told her how proud I was that she recognized the danger of being in the circle, and then we stopped for ice cream.
The average HS pitcher around here is more like 50 or 55 mph.... I don't think 60 to 65 is average for all college pitchers. Maybe at a top program in d1, then that's probably a closer statement to the truth.
Either way, I fully support masks, but let's keep the facts accurate.
Either way, I fully support masks, but let's keep the facts accurate.
This is part of the reason I find the "my daughter is beautiful and I want her to stay that way" argument so obnoxious. I mean, think about the flip side of that argument: "My daugher is homely, so a ball to the face wouldn't be so bad. Maybe they can do a nose job while they're putting her cheeks back together."
You should be just as, if not more worried, about concussions. No mask can stop a kid's brain from crashing against the inside of her skull, which can happen a) when her head snaps backwards from getting hit with the ball, and b) when her head hits the ground after being knocked over by a line drive. My niece had a concussion at the end of last year, and missed three months of school. A co-worker has post-concussion syndrome; we have to dim the lights in the office, and she has to write everything down or else she'll forget it tomorrow.
- Oct 19, 2009
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I bought a mask for DD and she will not wear it, to prepare her I have her pitch and I throw balls back at her as quick as possible to improve reflexes, she is instructed to throw every pitch as good as possible that is how she protect herself by making good pitches.
The rec team now up to a certain age requires everyone on the field to wear a mask.
The rec team now up to a certain age requires everyone on the field to wear a mask.
I applaud your DD for exercising good judgment and I'm glad she was not injured. However, your DD's coach is an idiot. He should never be hitting balls to anyone if every player on the field (or at least in direct line of sight of where he intends to hit it) is not looking at him and ready to field it if necessary.
I am afraid this is the ultimate goal of the pro-mask crowd and that bothers me. What's next full helmets and please don't say that's ridiculous.
I think it should be parents choice to have your kid wear a mask. Luckily my kid is smarter then me in this respect. She asked for the mask, I would never have thought to get one for her, I never played ball. I had never heard of anyone getting seriously injured by the ball until this year. Now that I know I'm so glad she wears it! Most kids here do not wear them. she is one out of Three or four and that's counting her RB ball league and TB both. So she is always the only one on the field with a mask on. I have seen a couple more girls at TB practice wear masks just recently, I hope the more girls wear them the less stigma will come with it.
There may be some who believe that all players need to wear a mask, but that (IMO) is a huge minority. I think any league that mandates fielding masks for ALL players is going to have a relatively short life span. As pro-mask (for corner infielders and pitchers) as I am, it is still the parents' responsibility to make these decisions.
