3rd baseman hit with line drive

MsDinosaur said:

Sweet Lou said:

Becasue we were a rec organaization playing summer all-stars, the equivalent of low to mid-B level tournaments though a few A teams would occasionally show up trophy hunting. I'm really not sure how many in the org were farmilar with the masks at the time, this was about 5 years ago. My DD though is the reason that masks have became quite common throughout our org the following year and have grown in popularity each year since.

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I never saw a fielder's mask when DD was in rec. There were a lot of girls who didn't even own their own bat, cheap or otherwise.

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My DD's are 2 of only 5 girls in our rec league who own masks as far as I know - each of these 5 pitch and play in tournaments outside of rec.

I don't think it's that parents don't want to protect their kids in rec, but they go in with the mind set that they are playing for fun. Those parents never think about there being dangers. They only think of the skill level of their daughters who play 6 weeks a year and go in thinking everyone plays at that level. Some of those girls haven't ever played before (so their parents have NO IDEA what to expect) and they surely have no idea what position they will play once on a team. Our rec league supplies appropriate batting helmets rather than expecting players to purchase their own for a six week season. Maybe rec leagues should consider purchasing and requiring them for 1St, 3Rd and pitcher...just a thought.

MTR said:

Sweet Lou said:

Becasue we were a rec organaization playing summer all-stars, the equivalent of low to mid-B level tournaments though a few A teams would occasionally show up trophy hunting. I'm really not sure how many in the org were farmilar with the masks at the time, this was about 5 years ago. My DD though is the reason that masks have became quite common throughout our org the following year and have grown in popularity each year since.

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Don't understand that, they've been around much longer than that. I'm just curious as to why an organization, and being rec is irrelevant, involved in a sport is not up to date with everything involving the sport.

It isn't like you need to go down to the library and spend hours doing research. It takes less than 30 seconds to google this stuff and get an idea of what to look for.

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A rec league is basically run by "rec" parents for the most part. Parents who are, more often than not, there with an agenda of their own. These parents do not always have the knowledge to coach a team much less the knowledge to run a league. Often times parents are just thrown in there because no one else will do it.

459'smom said:

A rec league is basically run by "rec" parents for the most part. Parents who are, more often than not, there with an agenda of their own. These parents do not always have the knowledge to coach a team much less the knowledge to run a league. Often times parents are just thrown in there because no one else will do it.

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Okay, but they just don't pop out of the ground and start a ball team. More often than not, there is an existing organization and you would think that those folks didn't start dumb and stay dumb over the years.

It's becoming commonplace in most rec leagues in Southern California that pitching masks are mandatory for all pitchers. As the pitchers get more comfortable wearing them it will have a trickle down effect on the infielders to also wear masks. As the rec players move to TB, their masks will go with them. This next generation of fastpitch players will be wearing more safety equipment than their predecessors. This change is happening quickly.

I coach a 2nd year 12U team. We have a team rule that ALL infielders must where an infielders mask. IMO it should be a rule throughout all the leagues.

I just got a email with this site and this topic.I coach 2 rec and 2 trav teams and all of my players wear mask. When I say all I mean all from outfield to the pitcher. I will put my 12u team against any team out there and dare for someone to down grade them for wearing a mask because they will get your respect at the end of the game.
The best way to look at this is like this..... There is not a coach out there from rec ball to clg ball that throws batting practice in a cage or on the field that does not get behind a screen or net. So if your players dont wear a mask then you dont throw batting practice behind the net!!!!!!

COACH ROBERT BAKER BLAST said:

There is not a coach out there from rec ball to clg ball that throws batting practice in a cage or on the field that does not get behind a screen or net. So if your players dont wear a mask then you dont throw batting practice behind the net!!!!!!

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That is the best argument I have seen for the pitchers mask. Coaches do "hide" behind the net (including me!). If you're going to look down on the kids for wearing a mask or any other protective device that they or their parents are comfortable with, pitch some BP without the net and see how safe you think that is!

COACH ROBERT BAKER BLAST said:

I just got a email with this site and this topic.I coach 2 rec and 2 trav teams and all of my players wear mask. When I say all I mean all from outfield to the pitcher. I will put my 12u team against any team out there and dare for someone to down grade them for wearing a mask because they will get your respect at the end of the game.
The best way to look at this is like this..... There is not a coach out there from rec ball to clg ball that throws batting practice in a cage or on the field that does not get behind a screen or net. So if your players dont wear a mask then you dont throw batting practice behind the net!!!!!!

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That's actually not true. There are a few. I used to pitch bp without a screen (when I was less smart). To be honest, I've been hit more since using a screen. I actually had my nose broken tossing tennis balls; plus other injuries. Thinking back, I was very lucky it wasn't more serious.

But the real point I agree with, they should wear face protection!

MTR said:

459'smom said:

A rec league is basically run by "rec" parents for the most part. Parents who are, more often than not, there with an agenda of their own. These parents do not always have the knowledge to coach a team much less the knowledge to run a league. Often times parents are just thrown in there because no one else will do it.

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Okay, but they just don't pop out of the ground and start a ball team. More often than not, there is an existing organization and you would think that those folks didn't start dumb and stay dumb over the years.

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Well.......you would think butttttt yes some do just pop out of the ground and start coaching. I just stepped down from our local board this season due to overwhelming stupidity such as this. Example (just one of many): we have a coach/board member who has coached for YEARS who doesn't actually coach 5 minutes of the whole season AND THE BOARD VOTED TO LET HIM START OVER AT 8u LEVEL coaching again (while still coaching an upper level team) since he's been coaching so long!!! Not because he had knowledge of the game or because he's a good coach but because he has some seniority with the league!! I was the only hold-out vote and admitted I couldn't vote for him to coach because he doesn't actually coach which means those girls get NOTHING out of that season except continually beat.

We had parents coaching with no training whatsoever who had NO REAL CLUE about the game - one or two of which were on the board as well.

There are no requirements to be on the board short of being human and alive; therefore, you can't expect these unknowledgeable bodies to know anything about the actual game of softball. Sad but true!

Wish it was different...I enjoyed being on the board, but I actually wanted to make it a better organization for all kids not just suck up to certain someones for what they could do for me and my kid. Seeing as this is what was happening I exited gracefully....lesson well learned.

I had a beginner pitcher that wore a black plastic mask. She was at my lesson, one morning and her coach walked past and said "What is this a Darth Vader convention?" She no longer wears a mask.