catchers helmets

YOCOACH said:

Supposedly so was the person who got the cup of coffee at the fast food restaurant, personally removed the lid, added their own cream and sugar although the restaurant offered to do it for them, replaced it incorrectly and then proceeded to spill it on themselves causing minor burns but saw a million dollar payday coming their way. It's a choice pure and simple. Which way has less injuries no matter the skill level? A catcher gets hit in the face on a high pop-up with the mask on....probably no damage at all. Without the mask...who knows? Sh1t hapoens all the time. Just ask the several top 25 D1 outfielders that didn't wear masks and took one to the face. There have been several over the past few years

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Greenmonsters said:

Lenny, Lenny, Lenny - you seem to know an awful lot about what, how, and why NECC teaches for someone who hasn't been to one of their sessions/camps or discussed catching in depth with either Dave (RIP) or Jay. Just preface your statements with an "in my opinion" and we'd be good, but when you pass off your opinions as fact, you can expect to be called on it. But, really, liability is the best reason you can come up with for why NECC teaches to keep the helmet on? That's complete BS, but I guess that it makes sense coming from someone who still doesn't recognize or know why its a harder task for catchers (even with no helmet or mask) to catch foul pop ups than it is for any other fielder.

Love you/fight with you like a brother - GM

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Lenski said:

Read my post correctly. I don't say that catchers should toss their mask. I say to teach "Keep The Mask On At All Times" is a viable option. I say (at an advanced level) that the mask only comes off on straight up high pop-ups......if you choose that option. The mask stays on at all other times.

If you feel that keeping the mask on at all times makes sense to you then I have no problem with it. I'm not against it at all. What I have a problem with is people saying that taking the mask off on straight up high pop-ups at an advanced level is wrong. No it's not! It's an option, and in my opinion it's the better option. It's the preferred method of the majority of advanced level catchers, catching coaches, and clinicians.

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FP_Catcher_Dad said:

Isn't this about safety? Infielders can wear face masks, some choose to use it and some don't. I'm always concerned about those who don't. A split second lost focus, a bad bounce, those are things that can happen and hurt players. And I don't see them throwing their mask every time they have to field a ball or get a runner out.

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FP_Catcher_Dad said:

Also, batters use their helmets, and I don't see them throwing their helmets every time they hit or have to slide. Even when they are running, they keep their helmets on.

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FP_Catcher_Dad said:

Why then people insist that catchers throw their helmets during a play? It doesn't make sense.

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FP_Catcher_Dad said:

True that players can get hurt by other means, but I see many coaches teaching the mechanics of the game, but few teaching Game Safety. At least NECC is out there teaching not only the mechanics, but also Game Safety, which we found to be very good.

Players should have a choice going into a game on how to best protect themselves.


As far as my DD, she will leave the catcher helmet on because she feels safer. When she plays infield, she always wear the face mask because she feels safer. And she will keep her batting helmet because is safe. BTW... All these helmets and masks can minimize risk of injury. Even a face mask can reduce the risk of an elbow on the face at 3B.

I was present at my DD's NECC camp and they may do it because of liability, but what they taught makes a lot of sense. Therefore, my DD is OK with it, I'm OK with it and hence that's good enough for me.

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Lenski said:

I've decided to waste my precious time....lol

Fielding masks are an option as you state. They are much different than catchers masks. Why even have fielders masks? Make everyone wear catchers masks. They're more protective. Fielding masks don't cover the head....just the face. Let's make the players as safe as we possibly can.


For one, it's against the rules. Also, BR's aren't always facing the play so it makes sense to keep the helmet on.

This is very true. There are parents and coaches out there teaching their catcher to throw the mask off on every play and that is absolutely the wrong thing to do.

Again, very true and I am in agreement.

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riseball said:

The whole helmet on at all times philosophy is just that; a philosophy. It has no practical application in the real world. If it did someone could point to one or more top catchers in the game that actually kept the helmet on at all times. Most of the time yes, all the time does not happen.

Now give me another ball!

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YOCOACH said:

Supposedly so was the person who got the cup of coffee at the fast food restaurant, personally removed the lid, added their own cream and sugar although the restaurant offered to do it for them, replaced it incorrectly and then proceeded to spill it on themselves causing minor burns but saw a million dollar payday coming their way. It's a choice pure and simple. Which way has less injuries no matter the skill level? A catcher gets hit in the face on a high pop-up with the mask on....probably no damage at all. Without the mask...who knows? Sh1t hapoens all the time. Just ask the several top 25 D1 outfielders that didn't wear masks and took one to the face. There have been several over the past few years

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SMS90 said:

Hate to tell you but you are completely wrong about what happened in that case.

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SMS90 said:

Hate to tell you but you are completely wrong about what happened in that case.

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