14U pregnant player

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Jun 3, 2010
171
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Mr. Ump, I'm gonna substitute #5 for #12, 12's water just broke at 3B.

I think the girl should not be playing. If I were the coach, she would have been off the team as soon as I found out.
 
Jul 17, 2008
488
0
Southern California
I have mixed feelings about this and could probably be swayed by arguments, either way. I have seen older girls continue to play volleyball, without any ill effects. I remember a recent case where a mother sued a school because although her DD was still allowed on the team, the coach didn't put her in the matches. She had a doctor's release.

Once a player has a note from a doctor, I don't question it. But, I am used to sprained ankles, not pregnancy.

Do I want to cut a young lady from a TB team because she is pregnant? No. Do I want to risk her and the baby's health? No.

I am trying really hard in my old age to accept that teens have sex. And, of course, they always have. I think a full 10% of the girls in my graduating class in HS (1972) were pregnant and yes, one or two had gotten pregnant at age 14. Hopefully, that is still unusual, though.

So, here I am - a great big fence sitter on whether she should play or not.

I'm with Amy on this one. Not sure if legally it can be done.
My dear mother had me when she was 15 years old in 1962. If abortion had been legal then, I'm not sure I would be walking this earth today. I'm not advocating that teen pregnancy is a good thing, just saying that it's not the worst thing in the world.

That being said, I was at the gym working out when I went into labor with my DD. Would I want the owner of the gym to tell me I cannot work out in their gym because I am pregnant?
I think playing softball may be a little more dangerous than that but it should be a personal choice not a committee decision unless someone else has legal liability in the situation.
 
Jan 23, 2010
802
0
VA, USA
Starsnuffer--Everything you just said is what I'd love to implement in an organization somewhere, some day. I live in rural Virginia, where there is little travel ball. Our rec teams are getting closer and closer to what I consider to be a "family" because the older girls are starting to help out with the younger ones through my influence (I'm a 17 year old Varsity softball player who just aged out of our local rec program this summer. I've been helping with the younger girls for about 4 years now and this fall I'm coaching a 10U and a 12U.) which is exactly what I want to see, but I'd like to see it implemented more because I stress so much that softball is not just about softball--it's about life, learning to balance things, and knowing that the girls on your team should be the first people that you should turn to. I'd love to participate in a system like yours but know there is no chance of that being implemented here.


That being said, I was at the gym working out when I went into labor with my DD. Would I want the owner of the gym to tell me I cannot work out in their gym because I am pregnant?
I think playing softball may be a little more dangerous than that but it should be a personal choice not a committee decision unless someone else has legal liability in the situation.
I know during pregnancy doctors believe that you should work out, but I don't think softball is what they'd have in mind...

A lot of female coaches refrain from coaching during their pregnancies. If I get pregnant (in the far, far future) and I'm coaching, I think that I would step back a little bit but would still continue in my role. I don't know if I'd want to stand there and coach third base during a game (too much risk of getting nailed by a shot) but I couldn't see why the coach couldn't continue making line up decisions, hitting infield, etc.
 
Jul 9, 2010
289
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I'm probably an old fart, but I can't imagine a scenario where I would allow a player who is that pregant to play. Be on the team - maybe. I wouldn't necessarily kick her off the team, but I can't imagine her taking part in games or practices. At 6 months, I am thinking it's obvious she's pregnant. If she had hidden it up to that point, good for her. Once I would become aware of it, though, she would sit.

It is travel ball - you can limit, or eliminate, anyone's participation in any activities for any reason you choose. No one has a "right" to participation, and there is no recourse if they don't agree with your decision.

I held my catcher out last weekend because I didn't think her arm had healed enough (saw her wincing in pain when throwing) from a shoulder separation she suffered in a game a few weeks ago. Her dad said she was OK to play - but I saw her in obvious pain, and rested her. I explained to her that it wasn't worth risking further injury - there's plenty of softball left to be played.

Same thing - just a different medical condition.
 
Jul 5, 2010
8
0
As strange as this may sound I hoping my DD's team play against the pregnant girl may have had a positive effect on them. Seeing that making bad choices can cause them not to be able to do what they love most, play softball.

The thing that made me the most angy was the inconsideration that was shown to the girls on the other team. If I had it to do over again I would have pulled my daugter off the field. What if she had been the one that hit the line drive that could have killed that unborn child, she would have had that on her mind for a very long time. Everyone makes mistakes but it is very unfair to put another person in the possible position of paying for your mistake.
 

sru

Jun 20, 2008
125
0
As strange as this may sound I hoping my DD's team play against the pregnant girl may have had a positive effect on them. Seeing that making bad choices can cause them not to be able to do what they love most, play softball.

The thing that made me the most angy was the inconsideration that was shown to the girls on the other team. If I had it to do over again I would have pulled my daugter off the field. What if she had been the one that hit the line drive that could have killed that unborn child, she would have had that on her mind for a very long time. Everyone makes mistakes but it is very unfair to put another person in the possible position of paying for your mistake.

I agree completely!!

Imagine how the batter would feel if she hit a line drive right into her stomach!! How could a coach allow this? There are now three lives involved in allowing this. What was her coach thinking. Was he using her to mess with the other team?? The health of the unborn child is paramount, this shouldn't be allowed.
 
Oct 14, 2010
9
0
PA
14U pregnant? and playing? WOW!!!

I want to know what was going through the coaches / parents mind as he/she allowed this child to play? Unfortunately, children are having sex. We can't change that but what needs to change are the rules for these children in sports. If they are going to have sex and get pregnant, whether protected or not (hoping they are but accidents happen); then she should not be allowed to play. What if something would happen, another player hit her, slid into her too hard, get hit by a ball, etc? Why should another player worry or ease up on her game because a coach / parent allowed her child to play??

As parents, we want to protect our children & not put them in harms way. What was this parent / coach thinking??? Apparently they were only thinking of themselves & not the impact this would have on anyone else.
 
May 25, 2010
1,070
0
That being said, I was at the gym working out when I went into labor with my DD. Would I want the owner of the gym to tell me I cannot work out in their gym because I am pregnant?

Not remotely the same thing. There are no collisions in working out, nor are projectiles traveling at high speeds towards you.

I think playing softball may be a little more dangerous than that but it should be a personal choice not a committee decision unless someone else has legal liability in the situation.

Welcome to America. The organizations have to err on the side of caution. If a 13-14yo young woman is showing, then as a representative of the organization, I'm going to phone our attorney and together, we will speak to her parents and then to the girl informing her of the league's decision to disallow further participation in any league event that could involve contact until she is no longer pregnant.

She's welcome to go play for another organization.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
The issue of whether an athlete should participate in a sport is up to the athlete and his/her doctor. If a child has a doctor's note saying she is fit to play, then no coach or organization should overrule their decision. Anything else, and you have male coaches subjugating females for being female.

E.g., what does "showing" mean? Does that mean an overweight athlete can pitch into her 3rd trimester while the underweight athlete has to quit after one month? It is totally, completely arbitrary.
 
Last edited:
Mar 3, 2010
208
0
Suburb of Chicago, IL
They won't let the girls play with earrings... under the name of "safety" but they can play pregnant? If a player brings in a note from the doctor that says earrings are safe should the ASA change the rules and let the girl wear them?
 

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