Thread: Helmet on or helmet off...

myself and friend/coach were watching a game today and the catcher threw her hockey style helmet off going after a passed ball. the coaches starting yelling at her after the play to keep her helmet on. my friend was asking why would you not take your helmet off? i told him that many coaches teach girls to keep the helmets on instead of removing them for making plays such as passed balls, pop ups, etc...

he's an old baseball catcher and thinks you should rip the helmet off. just wondering what all of you fastpitch catching gurus teach and why?

I actually teach both methods to my catchers. Some like to have the hockey masks and that was one of the points of having them made that way, was the better vision so it would not have to be thrown off. But I let them do whatever feels comfortable to them, whether they have a hockey style mask or not. I want them to be comfortable with whatever method they choose so they are not second guessing themselves or thinking in the back of their mind that I will yell at them for doing it wrong when they get back in the dugout. I don't prefer one over the other but some catchers seem to so I let them decide and make them stick with their decision.

Each year I get at least 2-3 reports from around the country related to catchers being hurt during tag plays at the plate when they removed their mask. Broken noses, losed teeth, poked eyes, etc.

So each spring when we have many new coaches entering the coaching ranks I like to put this reminder out.

On a tag play at the plate LEAVE THE MASK ON!

Why?? Simple, no good reason to take it off. The most common reason I am given is that the catcher can see the throw from the infielder better. Well the catcher had no trouble seeing the 50mph pitch from 40 feet away, I sure she can see a throw from 60+ feet away traveling most likely slower then that.

No reason to surrender the protection, Keep the Mask on!

The only time a catcher should take the mask off is on the pop fly. I am even seeing that with the advances in mask design some girls don't even need to take it off then either

Keep the helmet on.

And one other reason is that they break from being thrown.

Funny story. In Flagstaff, I was hired to help a team of 10 YOs. The catching equipment was horrible, too big, worn out and probably passed down from baseball. I brought some good Easton equipment for the catcher to wear and as I showed her the hockey style mask, I told her "You don't have to take this off."

During the first inning, I looked in the dugout and there she was in full catching gear, even the helmet.

Keep the helmet ON! In the olden days, that mask moved around so much that it could hinder vision, ... These new mask have such a good field of vision and they do not swing side to side. KEEP THE MASK ON!

Originally Posted by bgecoach

myself and friend/coach were watching a game today and the catcher threw her hockey style helmet off going after a passed ball. the coaches starting yelling at her after the play to keep her helmet on. my friend was asking why would you not take your helmet off? i told him that many coaches teach girls to keep the helmets on instead of removing them for making plays such as passed balls, pop ups, etc...

he's an old baseball catcher and thinks you should rip the helmet off. just wondering what all of you fastpitch catching gurus teach and why?

I'm a catcher for my select team and my coach said that one reason why he tells me to take off my mask is because you really can't e where the ball went when you miss it and if you don't take it off than you can't see it.but their is all ways that possibility of getting hurt.but you will get hurt one way or another.

My DD is a catcher and has always kept her helmet on. She was taught by a catcher who had played in the majors and thought the helmets (hockey style) should be kept on. One day while catching a game she dove to get a tipped ball and her head struck the fence pole. She caught the ball threw it down to first and then crumpled to the ground. When we got to her she had scratches all over her shoulder where she had contacted the fence, but her helmet was still on. When we took her to the doctor she had a concussion, the doctor told me she could have been hurt more seriously if the helmet had been off and thought it was a great thing she still had it on. She has never taken it off during a game..........and after seeing that knowing that to her she would throw her body and her head wherever it needed to be I am glad she keeps it on.

Kristen,

Can you see the ball?? Don't let your coach tell you if you can or can't.

If you can see the ball with your mask, great. If you can't, get another mask to wear that fits better and allows you better vision.

Keep it on always. No game is worth getting injured, especially if it is preventable.

as a catcher I use the hockey style mask, however, I like to remove it.... I wear eyeglasses and I find that the glare off the wires and then my glasses really hinders my vision. I will usually keep it on if there is a close play at the plate such as when I ahve to block the plate.

With the new styles getting better and clearer each year. I try and teach my girls to keep it on at all times. It's easier to have them follow that then to give them different situations when it should be on or off. Also when its on it will never interfere with the play or get stepped on by another player.