Let’s make it easy by complicating it, shall we? Leave it on when the situation calls for it. Take it off when the situation calls for it. Clear?
I’m all about protecting DD’s pretty face, but sometimes she feels the need to take the helmet off for a clearer view. And when those times are can change from game to game. And between different helmet brands. And from situation to situation and from field to field. Here are a few examples:
High pop up behind the plate or somewhere near the plate when it’s clearly her play to make and she can call everyone else off, she probably takes it off. Low pop up in the same area, she probably keeps it on because she doesn’t have time to take it off. When the backstop is chain link fence, she might take it off. When it’s netting, she probably leaves it on b/c she knows a catcher who lost teeth on a railing just beyond a backstop net. But if there’s no railing she might take it off. When there’s potential for a play at the plate she leaves it on to protect against contact with a runner’s batting helmet or cleats. Or shoulder or knee or elbow or fist. Yes, fist. I’ve seen it. Her Diamond iX5 helmet allows her to look up further because it has a smaller back plate, so she’s more likely to leave it on than her Allstar helmet which limits her ability to look up. Maybe she takes it off for a particular situation at 10:00am but leaves it on for the exact same situation at 3:00pm.
See? Lots of factors involved, including a catcher’s own judgment. It matters what they were taught, but it matters just as much that many of them forget what they were taught and rely on what feels right to them in the heat of the moment. And whether you think that it should always be left on or thrown off, your DD will probably prove you wrong within the next two weeks.
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I’m all about protecting DD’s pretty face, but sometimes she feels the need to take the helmet off for a clearer view. And when those times are can change from game to game. And between different helmet brands. And from situation to situation and from field to field. Here are a few examples:
High pop up behind the plate or somewhere near the plate when it’s clearly her play to make and she can call everyone else off, she probably takes it off. Low pop up in the same area, she probably keeps it on because she doesn’t have time to take it off. When the backstop is chain link fence, she might take it off. When it’s netting, she probably leaves it on b/c she knows a catcher who lost teeth on a railing just beyond a backstop net. But if there’s no railing she might take it off. When there’s potential for a play at the plate she leaves it on to protect against contact with a runner’s batting helmet or cleats. Or shoulder or knee or elbow or fist. Yes, fist. I’ve seen it. Her Diamond iX5 helmet allows her to look up further because it has a smaller back plate, so she’s more likely to leave it on than her Allstar helmet which limits her ability to look up. Maybe she takes it off for a particular situation at 10:00am but leaves it on for the exact same situation at 3:00pm.
See? Lots of factors involved, including a catcher’s own judgment. It matters what they were taught, but it matters just as much that many of them forget what they were taught and rely on what feels right to them in the heat of the moment. And whether you think that it should always be left on or thrown off, your DD will probably prove you wrong within the next two weeks.
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