A coach should absolutely be allowed to take this position, but only after willingly taking a line drive off the face from 35-40 feet away. If you're tough enough to stand there and take it, then fine, make your players go without a mask.
High School Player Hit In The Face
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A coach should absolutely be allowed to take this position, but only after willingly taking a line drive off the face from 35-40 feet away. If you're tough enough to stand there and take it, then fine, make your players go without a mask.
A coach has the right to not take a player for any reason, and the player has the right not to play for a coach. A player does not have a right, with or without a mask to play college softball. I have been around the college game for quite a while and speak to 100's of college coaches each year. I have yet to meet a single college coach that held this view. If the kid has the skill, attitude, grades, and many other qualities they really do not care if they have a mask or not. I have also yet to hear someone actually name one of these "many" coaches that will not consider a player because of a mask. Not a single one. I think the time has come to put up or shut up.
I believe that this myth stems from HS/TB where I am quite confident it happens so folks assume that it must also happen in college. As if HS/TB and college ball were somehow similar. It is far easier for mom and dad to claim a college coach did not want their DD because of a mask then to be honest with themselves and admit their kid did not have what it takes to play for a program. Bottom line is if you have the goods at least one of the 1,700 college programs has a place for you. If you don't have the goods, the fact you happen to wear a mask is irrelevant. Their are many factors that go into a coaches recruiting decision and athletic abilities are only a small part of the equation. If you are worried about getting recruited because of a mask, I suggest you put in the work to up your game.
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https://polldaddy.com/share/s99cb1f00ee30dbad26ac71820914eea61055258347/results/5995247
Here is a survey of D1 coaches on whether they would recruit players who wear masks (granted it's from 2015). 71% said they would recruit a player with a facemask, but the survey didn't do a good enough job to flesh out the answer because a lot of the responses were that they would only recruit kids who wore masks under certain situations. If you read the comment section here are some of the replies:
"unless they are recently injured and have to wear a mask, but if there is no dr. orders they will not wear a mask."
"I put no, but I will recruit a pitcher with a fielding mask. The reason I say no, is wearing a fielding mask shows me they are unsure of their skills and are unable to compete at the highest level."
"As a rule of thumb I would not, however if that kid was averaging 2 K's an inning and was a stud I may overlook the mask."
"I won't rule out a player with a facemask, but generally I will shy away from a player wearing a face mask."
"Depends on the position. If they aren't a corner or a pitcher they would have to be really good for me to look at them. I don't love it to begin with so they'd have to be something special even at the corners or in the circle."
"It is initially a flag to me though. If they have had a previous injury I understand."
"In rare situations I will consider recruiting someone who wears a facemask. If there is a medical reason (i.e. previous fractures, etc). The reason I shy away from facemasks is because of what it can represent... 1. Poor fielding mechanics and/or low confidence on defense (can lead to bad habits that are hard to fix), 2. Poor reactions and therefore unlikely to be able to handle the DI speed of the game.
I will not recruit an outfielder that wears a facemask. Overall the DI game is a fastpaced game where the athletes train hard, gain strength, learn fundamentals, etc. The game is harder, faster, and more dangerous... If you can't handle the travel level and HAVE to have the facemask how are you going to handle the upper levels???"
My statement was more about the older girls in travel than the young ones in rec ball. My kids wore masks to pitch in rec ball, too. These days you see very talented Gold level players wearing masks, you never saw that in the past.
Interesting but it will take more than an anonymous poll and "I know a guy who's DD said"... to convince me. If there more than a handful of coaches with this attitude there must be some that have unequivocally gone on record and stated they will not recruit a kid with a mask and why. Anyone?
I'm sure Alabama's Pat Murphy is wishing Turner had been a mask wearer (as they're heading into the tournament without her).....
In my opinion the P and corners should be in masks at a minimum. I'd be cool with all infielders wearing them at all levels. Its not weakness or fear of the ball. Its no different than wearing a seatbelt or a helmet on a motorcycle...
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst
In my opinion the P and corners should be in masks at a minimum. I'd be cool with all infielders wearing them at all levels. Its not weakness or fear of the ball. Its no different than wearing a seatbelt or a helmet on a motorcycle...
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst
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