Mizzou vs UCLA

[Pitching Dad]

ya know when football was in its beginning years there were no pads no helmets. The sport and protective equipment has morphed for safety of the players. Now, none of us would allow a youngster to take the field without pads, helmet etc. This NEEDS to happen in softball, NO GAME, NO SITUATION in any game is worth a life changing injury for a young lady. Shame on you all for the bull$^%t bravado your spewing! No amount of training can prepare you for a ball traveling upwards of 115mph at your face from 37 feet in an instant. When the modern football type helmets and face guards were introduced they were met with the same attitude some are showing here but now they are just part of the uniform. MAKE THEM MANDATORY for all infielders in softball!! Sorry, end of rant.

 

[riseball]

... a ball traveling upwards of 115mph at your face from 37 feet in an instant...

You make some valid points but unfortunately it is bull$^%t comments like these that detract from any useful discussion.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Shame on you all for the bull$^%t bravado your spewing!

I don't think this thread is a do or don't...like all the thousands of post on DPF on the subject...

Get Real... we can't do anything about it either way. No more than we could pick the umps, or where nationals are....ect.

 

[MNDad]

Proper training is a good idea, and it can prevent serious injury, but things happen and it's not a guarantee it will prevent serious injury.







Here are two of the most popular models.

Looking at the above photos, and reading what was said by the Missouri coach: ...it looks to me like there is enough coverage around and on the side of the face that some protection would have been offered.




A mask isn't designed to prevent catastrophic injury? IMO that is exactly what it is designed to do. No, there may not be any safety standards, but I'd be surprised if the manufacturers haven't product tested to a significant extent.

I'm not for mandating mask usage either, but don't try to diminish their effectiveness with weak straw-man arguments.

You're twisting my words for your own straw man arguments. I never said anything about training guaranteeing it would have prevented this.

The side protection of the masks is very limited. The impact won't be disbursed to other points as it would from a frontal hit. Also the masks are loose fitting and could easily shift or get pushed out of the way without greatly minimizing the impact.

IMO the masks are perfect for 10U and 12U where the girls are much less experienced and the speeds are slow enough that the masks can reasonably be expected to work. I made DD wear one through 14U. I like the masks and believe they offer protection in most situations.

Your last statement is exactly my issue with mandating masks. Most people are completely ignorant as to what they'll actually prevent. None of the manufacturers make any claims of preventing catastrophic injury and there's no data or studies to suggest it. If we really want to prevent catastrophic injury with equipment girls should wear helmets. It's completely misleading to suggest masks will offer more protection than they're designed for.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I don't think this thread is a do or don't...like all the thousands of post on DPF on the subject...

Get Real... we can't do anything about it either way. No more than we could pick the umps, or where nationals are....ect.

PC, try to understand why someone might call BS. You took a position of suggesting that you trained for such reactionary skills. You gave as supporting evidence a low-end rec-level game using 10 defensive players and a video of your daughter taking hacks on a ball sliding down a string, above the strike zone, that she herself complained about being too fast. You suggest that turning around the 'string drill' would build reactionary skills. Whether or not such a thread has any impact on the future direction of this sport, you should be somewhat concerned that someone might take your advice on face value ... which is why some have asserted that perhaps you may be fooling yourself.

In any event ... have yourself a terrific Memorial Day.

 

[riseball]

Looks pretty good for someone who has experienced what is often described here as a near death, life altering, disfiguring injury.

 

[Perfect Circle]

PC, try to understand why someone might call BS. You took a position of suggesting that you trained for such reactionary skills. You gave as supporting evidence a low-end rec-level game using 10 defensive players and a video of your daughter taking hacks on a ball sliding down a string, above the strike zone, that she herself complained about being too fast. You suggest that turning around the 'string drill' would build reactionary skills. Whether or not such a thread has any impact on the future direction of this sport, you should be somewhat concerned that someone might take your advice on face value ... which is why some have asserted that perhaps you may be fooling yourself. In any event ... have yourself a terrific Memorial Day.

Thank you.... I hope you have a great Holiday aswell.

Suggesting ??? I grabbed that clip because it was the only one I had on U-tube... she was 8 & her Mom just wanted to Strike her out... I would never do anything like that @ that age. By the way Mom has long since not interfered in our practice..... She is way to scared of the ball to try and Catch her...ect....

This video is @ 9... lots of practice & games Pitching. I would always act like it really hurt, to get her to attack the ball. Then I went to gloves on. Of course she wanted to pitch w/ string, and everyone wanted to hit & pitch on the Zip-Line. I think you'll see a little more confidence in this clip..... Suggesting ??? That would be like saying I wasn't making SkilzVideo's when she was 9... This one went to the local College Coach.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kXJrij-usCg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Cannonball]

Nice picture and glad she is up and moving. However, no one can draw conclusions from this pic. I'm reminded of my dd's boyfriend who was UMSL's goalie. He had several concussions while in goal. After one where my wife and I took him and my dd out to eat after a game where we saw him get kicked in the face, he seemed perfectly fine. However, a day later he was throwing up and in a hospital. Again, I am so thankful that she is up and moving but I don't discount the other possibility. I also pray that none of you ever see it happen to your dd. I don't want anyone to view this topic from my perspective.

 

[Cannonball]

PC, from the time my dd was 10 years old, I posted video of her on various websites. Many members here have seen her grow up. They have seen some of the drill work and have seen how truly dedicated she is to the sport. They have seen video of her pitching, fielding and hitting. As much as we worked on every phase of the game and the intensity of those workouts, I couldn't prevent mine from getting hit. I hope you do have the solution for yours. You'll find out the day you venture to top level TB. Mine was playing so at 12 and was playing 18U when she was in 14U. (Actually 13 years old) We trained for that and I still cried as I watched everyone run for her in the circle. Again, there are several posters here who followed all of this back in the day when it all happened.

 

[JJsqueeze]

PC- that zip line thing is making me cringe, please, for the love of GOD and all that is holy stop posting it. I love watching your kid throw and the live work you do with her, she looks great in all areas despite this medieval torture device you used on her.