DD hit in the face.

[29dad]

Two years ago, when she was 12, DD went to a jenny Finch camp. Jenny and especially her dad (Doug?) were vehemently opposed to masks. The dad spoke about them with utter disdain, and said that if you learn how to field properly you will never need a mask. That's softball royalty talking. Needless to say, we disagree and DD wears a Rit-It at third and when she pitches (which is very rare these days). I am convinced that my DD is a better fielder because of the Rip-It. According to a coach in our organization, she stays lower on hard hit ground balls than anyone he's ever had playing corner infield, and I'm convinced that part of that is due to the mask.

Back on topic - sorry about your DD's injury, GD. And yet thankful that it wasn't much worse.

 

[Indiana]

Again thank you all.

Ok, advice time. We are looking at masks today online, the first step. The reviews I see on Rip It are good except about the chin pads. Most say they are cheaply made and constantly fall off or need adjusting during a game. I sure don't need any excuse for her to not like it or use it. Any comments? Recommendations?

I'm so glad your daughter is OK. One of our girls ripped a line drive that missed the pitcher by maybe 3 inches - it was scary to watch. My DD likes the Rip It - it is lightweight and the visibility is good. We've had to repair the chin piece velcro, but this is an older mask. DD has also has also complained of her chin getting sweaty and the subsequent breakouts. Wrapping the chin piece with a bit of bandanna fabric helps. We also disinfect the chin and forehead pieces at the end of the day.

 

[Pdiddy]

I already said, that the girls don't know that the bats are altered. We won't know in this case, because the bat was not checked.

When you say "checked" .....what do you mean?

 

[23sDad]

Sorry about you daughter and I know how you felt. My daughter was hit around her right eye area last year in a varsity game... She was wearing a Schutt mask and came away with only a headache, so I know it works... Schutt is much like the Rip-it (metal)

 

[MTR]

I've read this post 3 times and I still can't figure out if you're for real...this has to be a joke right?

Right?

Don't know why you would be confused. It's real simple, when you finished the delivery, that glove hand comes up in a defensive position. I know it isn't coached, either through ignorance or it just isn't considered important.

I already said, that the girls don't know that the bats are altered. We won't know in this case, because the bat was not checked.

Amy, don't know what you would expect the umpire to see if the bat is looked at after the fact. The only way to truly check the bat for alterations is to open it up, which means destroying the bat. It would take a couple weeks and someone with deep pockets because if it isn't altered, somebody is going to have to pay for new bat.

 

[mogsoftball]

rip it recommendation here. We got my DD's late last season and have no issues with the chin pad. It has the pad liek the one on the left side of knightsb's picture.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Don't know why you would be confused. It's real simple, when you finished the delivery, that glove hand comes up in a defensive position. I know it isn't coached, either through ignorance or it just isn't considered important.

Sure it can be taught and sure you can work on reflexes but even so there simply isn't time to react at those distances. A pitcher is less than 40 feet from the batter (and closer at young ages) whne she releases the ball. Even with the golve up there is sometimes not enough reaction time.

Look even at MLB some of the best pitchers in the world still don't have time to react. And they are nearly 50% farther away from the batter than in softball since the start at 60'6". A few notables I can recall getting smacked in teh face/skull include - Hiroki Kuroda then with the Dodgers - ball hit his nogging and bounced in the dugout on a fly, Mike Mussina with the Yankees - bloody face, Brandon McCarthy with the A's - concussion followed by BRAIN SURGERY and season ending, Bryce Flores Boston red sox, career ending.

Add in the fact that the mass of a softball is 30% heavier than a baseball and you can see from the shorter distances that the damage can be much greater.

 

[JDBerry]

My 12yo daughter has been pitching for a year. Our high school plays in the fall and she was the starting varsity pitcher. It wasn't very hard to convince a 6th grader, pitching against 18yo 12th graders to wear a mask. In fact, it gave her a sense of comfort.

She wears the Rip It

 

[Westwind]

I'm a really good driver so no one will ever cross the center line and hit me. In fact, because I've never actually seen a head on collision and I've only heard of head on collisions on the Internet I don't believe they exist and the victim driver should just be better drivers and not let the other driver hit them

And once again, kids, don't smoke unless you want to look really cool.

 

[fastpitchdad8]

Don't know why you would be confused. It's real simple, when you finished the delivery, that glove hand comes up in a defensive position. I know it isn't coached, either through ignorance or it just isn't considered important.

.

ah..got it. Pitchers in practice should throw a pitch then have a coach in the box immediately whistle a line drive as hard as they can hit it at the pitcher's head. Gotcha..my bad.

So have you ever pitched batting practice and have a line drive go by you that you didnt even see? Or do you just sit in the bleachers and complain about the coaching? Or better yet, do you squat behind the catcher during games?