I think it crazy for OF's to wear a mask. My son plays little league and for the most part these players are not any better than the girls and the ball is harder gets hit harder and I've never seen a player wear a mask. A few wear when they bat but very few. It's a flaw in the girls game that I see. They should have division like little league does versus strictly on age. You see girls who are 11 playing 12U that can't even turn their glove in the right direction but have to play there when they should be playing AA or some other level.
Requiring Facemask for pitchers... Possible league policy... THoughts?
- Thread starter Carsonsig
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What you have described regarding age vs ability is why HS ball can be so dangerous. The ability gap can be huge. I have a lefty 2017 player on my TB team who hits the ball as hard as some of my DD's SEC teammates. During the rare times I base coach I am well back on the grass some 75 feet from home plate when she is up. I cannot imagine an incoming 9th grader standing 50-60 feet from her in a HS game.
- Nov 29, 2009
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That is about all you can do. Your league can STRONGLY suggest the pitchers and corners wear masks. Then include the links to some players taking balls to the face. That may help when they see that players getting hit in the face does happen. And when it does happen it comes out of nowhere. You can offer the players the masks at what the league pays for them. In your best judgement you know what is right. However, that does not trump what a parent thinks is right for their DD. You're trying to prevent the .1% possibility of an injury knowing how devastating that injury can be.
Lazy parents will always find a way to try and circumvent the rules. Like "forgetting" their DD's mask or any other excuses.
There was an article in the local newspaper about a girl who played for me in the past. She was hit in the face with a comebacker. When she played for me she always wore her mask when pitching and playing 1st. She went to another organization who's mindset is masks make a player look "weak" to college coaches. Needless to say, after surgery she's back to wearing a mask again.
Since you know of the risk I take it you will also require mouth guards and heart guards? And you will need to ban composite bats and use nerf balls. And of course you will need to have an ambulance on standby at all games. Will all players be required to have physicals with a statement from a physician that they are cleared to play? What about baseline concussion testing? If it keeps one kid safe isn't it worth it?
Got to draw the line somewhere. For most the risk associated with not wearing a mask just does not rise to the level of justifying a mandate. If you truly feel it does there are things that rise to that level sooner and should be addressed, like heart guards which actually save lives. Facemasks are the cause de jour of fastpitch softball. Your energies are best spent elsewhere.
our kids play with water balloons and pool noodles. very safe.~
And probably have a blast.
- May 20, 2015
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I would say that as masks become the accepted "standard" for pitchers these days, that your league would be more open to liability of they do NOT have such a rule in place
This has come up in my internal discussions on the matter as well.....
Curious as to your thoughts on how you will actually implement this. What masks are acceptable? Must they be a full face or is partial acceptable? Does this include both games and practices? Anytime the player is on field including warmups during competition? What would the penalties be for noncompliance? Is this enforced by the umpires? League officials? Will corners and MI's be required if they crash during a slash and come within the same distance of the pitcher from home plate? Maybe a proverbial line in the sand where you may only cross if wearing a mask? Interested in the details.
