Its raining helmets!

[YOCOACH]

you shouldn't put up with that type of disrespect from a coach who is clearly teaching a girls softball player the wrong way to do something....and he basically yelled "your dad is an idiot" out loud....and it would have "been on" if it were me....well, privately and in a "don't ever do that again to me" manner of course....

anybody that says a girls softball catcher should remove their helmet, at any time, is just being obtuse, period!....and hasn't ever put one on a newer catchers helmet and doesn't realize it's a modified hockey mask and a catcher doesn't need to ever take it off.....nor do they realize softball pop ups don't go very high and there isn't time to be jacking around with flipping a mask off, losing sight of the ball and trying to find it again. They need to practice quickness, rather than trying to look like a baseball player....then there's plays at the plate....

Eric has it right.

 

[Cowdogz]

anybody that says a girls softball catcher should remove their helmet, at any time, is just being obtuse, period!....and hasn't ever put one on a newer catchers helmet and doesn't realize it's a modified hockey mask and a catcher doesn't need to ever take it off..

I catch a little in an old-man baseball league. I do wear a hockey mask, and I do find that it still impedes visibility and movement at times. I pretty much take it off whenever the ball is put in play, but then again my league has safety rules.

there isn't time to be jacking around with flipping a mask off, losing sight of the ball and trying to find it again.

That's why you take the mask off on contact, hang onto it, find the ball, then throw it somewhere that you won't trip over it. Not saying you should or shouldn't teach one way or the other, but the reality is that every other infielder runs the risk of running into a fence/runner/other infielder, and none of them wear a mask.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Wear it long enough and you get used to it. Just like bifocals.

 

[Eric F]

I catch a little in an old-man baseball league. I do wear a hockey mask, and I do find that it still impedes visibility and movement at times. I pretty much take it off whenever the ball is put in play, but then again my league has safety rules.

That's why you take the mask off on contact, hang onto it, find the ball, then throw it somewhere that you won't trip over it. Not saying you should or shouldn't teach one way or the other, but the reality is that every other infielder runs the risk of running into a fence/runner/other infielder, and none of them wear a mask.

Justify it to yourself any way you want. You're an adult, and it's your face.

My DD will be leaving her mask on. It's the way she has been trained, and she isn't comfortable any other way. If you were her coach, and instructed her otherwise, you and I would need to have a conversation and come to an understanding that she will be leaving her mask on while the ball is in play. If you still insist, that will be the last day my DD plays for your team.

When playing infield, my DD wears an infielders mask. So do most of her teammates.

 

[Bchbum54]

So being as these are kids playing little league, the call should favor safety. (Everyone please note that I am agreeing with protecting the catcher prior to the flame throwers and pitch forks)

That catcher was in the wrong spot all together. He is standing smack in the base line without the ball. There is a very safe corner in front of the plate on the 3rd base side to stand that allows the runner the base path and gives the catcher a good defensive position. After receiving the ball, catcher can block the plate, or stand where he wants to make the tag. With no ball in his glove, just a bad spot to be standing.


(please go back and read the part where I agree with the HU, ok, breathe a little.......all right FLAME ON!!)

I agree with you that the catcher was out of position but every once in a while players, even experience players at all levels get out of position. Luckily the kid was wearing his helmet and was able to joke and laugh about it after instead of taking a ride to the ER if he didn't have it on.Like I said earlier I've seen it in person and it's ugly, helmet to head collision there is no good ending for a catcher without a helmet. DD never takes off her helmet and the only time a HC asked her to flip it off during practice I talked to him after and played a couple of these YouTube videos which aren't hard to find. He changed his perspective real fast

 

[guero_gordo]

DD is free to remove the helmet anytime it is on fire.

 

[Eric F]

DD is free to remove the helmet anytime it is on fire.

...or underwater.

 

[VA Chris]

I agree with you that the catcher was out of position but every once in a while players, even experience players at all levels get out of position. Luckily the kid was wearing his helmet and was able to joke and laugh about it after instead of taking a ride to the ER if he didn't have it on.Like I said earlier I've seen it in person and it's ugly, helmet to head collision there is no good ending for a catcher without a helmet. DD never takes off her helmet and the only time a HC asked her to flip it off during practice I talked to him after and played a couple of these YouTube videos which aren't hard to find. He changed his perspective real fast

Bchbum54-
We are in agreement. My daughter wears her helmet from the time she comes on the field until she comes off the field. As I said this is little league and what can go wrong will go wrong. I guess I was more curious if the catcher was being taught the correct position to defend the plate. Unless somewhere here knows the coach, player, or team, I don't think we'll get that answer.

Teach proper technique and you can avoid many risks to your catchers. Sadly there is always going to be that one player/coach that enjoys a collision at the plate and feels it is part of the game. I teach my girls that it is never acceptable to hurt another player, period. I would rather be annoyed at a missed obstruction/interference call then a young lady gets hurt because of my ego.

Keep 'em safe!

 

[Jquick823]

I'm the AC for my DD's 12U team and she is a catcher. I have taught her with the help of several camps and a DVD from a camp i can't remember the name of LOL. The one thing i told her is, if the runner gets to keep her helmet on you get to keep yours on. Her MS coach instructs to take it off to which he was very disgruntled when i explained that if you can catch a pitch with it on why can't you catch an overhand throw with it on. If a 3rd baseman can catch a line drive and an outfielder a fly ball with masks why is the catcher so much different. He didn't like it at all but left her alone.

As far as how many pop ups a 12U catcher fields in a season/game i would say 14 through 16 games lol. Lots of bunts that get popped at this age and a quick catcher can dive under them. Look through the book, you might see more 2's making defensive plays than you ever realized. I know every monday when i do the stats i'm suprised at how busy the catchers were.

 

[Rocketech1]

8 YO DS catches with the hockey-style mask and always takes his mask off on pop-ups (and everyone else who catches in his league for that matter). I don't like it for the safety reason and the fact that it slows the game down especially when they wear their baseball hats backwards with them but all these teams are coached by old-school former baseball players. Tough to convince them otherwise?