Finally saw it firsthand tonight, and it was tough. My 10U team of 2000 and 2001 girls were playing in a local tournament today. In the championship, we were playing a team with a couple of our past players on it and the girls are still close. Our catcher rips one back up the middle and the pitcher (who was our #2 pitcher till this fall) MAY have got a tiny piece of glove on it, but it hit her square between the eyes (NO MASK). The ball bounces all the way to foul ground between home and first as she piles up. I am coaching first and stop the runner there and head out. We roll her over and her nose is a mess (no blood though). She wore a mask when she pitched for us, I just for the life of me don't know why she wasn't tonight. It really shook up our girls, especially the batter. She was really torn up over it. All that being said I guess she's lucky just to have a broken nose and not bone damage or worse. I am still worried about my catcher. I've never seen her so upset. I just hadn't considered how it would effect the other players and such. Please folks, just get them in a mask, if not for them for the others it can have an impact on. The next girl came in to pitch (played third for us until this fall as well) and asked to borrow a mask.
Another arguement FOR facemasks
- Thread starter Texarkana
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Thank goodness it's 'only' a broken nose.
We were having this discussion yesterday after my game. Two of the girls on my team are Canadian and I had two balls fired at me, one that I caught cleanly, the other was just out of reach (which I did miss) One of the girls commented that she found it suprising that I didn't wear a mouth guard, which lead to the discussion on face masks. We were all on the same page that we weren't for them UNLESS the girl had a pre-exisiting injury that meant more damage would be done if she got hit again. I've seen girls who wear them here (though they are incredibly rare), who can't play without them. They become terrified of the ball without the protection. (my association has a local rule that only allows girl to wear them at pitcher and the corners. I find it incredibly stupid, but that's my association) The one girl who wears it, can't be put anywhere else, because she screams if the ball comes near her.
I've played this sport for 27 years and with the thousands of ball I've seen line drived to pitcher, first and third, I've only seen three girls miss the ball. Only one was hit in the face. My mother had her knee destroyed by this. A friend was hit in the stomach when charging a bunt, that turned into a slap. To me, instead of putting a band aid on the solution, we should be teaching the girls how to take line drives that come quickly. My old pitching coach would have us pitch a ball and hit tennis balls at us to get our reaction times up. Even now, being much bigger and ten years away from that lesson, I still have an incredibly quick reaction time.
We were having this discussion yesterday after my game. Two of the girls on my team are Canadian and I had two balls fired at me, one that I caught cleanly, the other was just out of reach (which I did miss) One of the girls commented that she found it suprising that I didn't wear a mouth guard, which lead to the discussion on face masks. We were all on the same page that we weren't for them UNLESS the girl had a pre-exisiting injury that meant more damage would be done if she got hit again. I've seen girls who wear them here (though they are incredibly rare), who can't play without them. They become terrified of the ball without the protection. (my association has a local rule that only allows girl to wear them at pitcher and the corners. I find it incredibly stupid, but that's my association) The one girl who wears it, can't be put anywhere else, because she screams if the ball comes near her.
I've played this sport for 27 years and with the thousands of ball I've seen line drived to pitcher, first and third, I've only seen three girls miss the ball. Only one was hit in the face. My mother had her knee destroyed by this. A friend was hit in the stomach when charging a bunt, that turned into a slap. To me, instead of putting a band aid on the solution, we should be teaching the girls how to take line drives that come quickly. My old pitching coach would have us pitch a ball and hit tennis balls at us to get our reaction times up. Even now, being much bigger and ten years away from that lesson, I still have an incredibly quick reaction time.
Does it really have to be either/or. Can't we do both, teach the proper way to field a ball and protect the player. Some players just don't have fast enough reaction times. Especially young players.
As a parent I don't see it as a band aid. I see it as inexpensive protection of a most loved dd.
I would require of my team to wear masks. Someone is going to get killed. It is SO simple to wear a mask.
I wear one 100% of the time. How many of my students wear one? None. (Well, there is a girl in my former town and that does.) I sometimes get them to wear one a season or 2 and then, I see that they have them off. In one instance, a coach made fun of a little 9 YO that was wearing one. Of course, he had never played softball in his life.
Why aren't they wearing masks? I really feel it is because their parents won't make them or can't make them.
Oh, by the way - the ball arrives so quickly, that you can't get a glove on it. I did happen to catch one last year at first base and then, I didn't have time this summer as I taught a hitting lesson. Even the slow pitch men that are at 50 feet are getting killed by line drives.
I wear one 100% of the time. How many of my students wear one? None. (Well, there is a girl in my former town and that does.) I sometimes get them to wear one a season or 2 and then, I see that they have them off. In one instance, a coach made fun of a little 9 YO that was wearing one. Of course, he had never played softball in his life.
Why aren't they wearing masks? I really feel it is because their parents won't make them or can't make them.
Oh, by the way - the ball arrives so quickly, that you can't get a glove on it. I did happen to catch one last year at first base and then, I didn't have time this summer as I taught a hitting lesson. Even the slow pitch men that are at 50 feet are getting killed by line drives.
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- Sep 3, 2009
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Arguments against the mask are ignorant. I think it's a touch choice to make for the girls, but I see more of them. My dd's last tournament, one of our batters hit one back to the pitcher, that hit her in the armpit area, she had no time to react at all. I've seen a few comebacks and fortunately none were bad. If the mask does anything, I think it makes the infielders more aggressive in going after the ball.
No, it just means we have a difference of opinion. It's incredibly rude to state something like that.
Like I said in my reply, I've played the sport for 27 years. No-one needs to lecture me about the danger of sport. I've seen it first hand, I've experienced it first hand. I still don't think face masks are needed, nor should they be compulsory.
I didn't think that we needed batting helmets. I didn't think that the helmets needed face guards. I am changing my mind as I see the bats changed into dangerous weapons. I am on the face mask band wagon.
- May 25, 2010
- 1,070
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You're married to your positions and that's fine, and in my 'opinion', it's not rude to identify ignorance when people see it. You have your opinion about rudeness and I have mine.
In the past 25+ years, the changes in technology for and overall skill of offenses have outpaced what young minds and bodies are able to do in the field. There are drills, yes, but there's no technology that's going to improve a defensive player's capacity to improve her reaction time. Softball is not unique in that regard.
Masks and chest protectors aren't going to eliminate injuries altogether or even reduce the number of players who do get hit. Many in the community merely want to mitigate the potential damage. I don't think it's any sort of overreaction at all to mandate masks for young pitchers playing up in rec ball, nor is there anything wrong with suggesting masks for other players.
Should they be mandated for all infielders? Not at this time, based on my limited observations. But the technology to protect our girls is available and improving each year, so many of us are wise in choosing to use it even if a majority elect not to and are fine (never hurt). Buying auto insurance doesn't make one a pessimist.
In the past 25+ years, the changes in technology for and overall skill of offenses have outpaced what young minds and bodies are able to do in the field. There are drills, yes, but there's no technology that's going to improve a defensive player's capacity to improve her reaction time. Softball is not unique in that regard.
Masks and chest protectors aren't going to eliminate injuries altogether or even reduce the number of players who do get hit. Many in the community merely want to mitigate the potential damage. I don't think it's any sort of overreaction at all to mandate masks for young pitchers playing up in rec ball, nor is there anything wrong with suggesting masks for other players.
Should they be mandated for all infielders? Not at this time, based on my limited observations. But the technology to protect our girls is available and improving each year, so many of us are wise in choosing to use it even if a majority elect not to and are fine (never hurt). Buying auto insurance doesn't make one a pessimist.
- Jul 28, 2008
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My infielders all wear masks. The ball comes back way too fast nowadays. If we played teams who used the old single wall bats, then they'd have more time. The teams don't use those anymore.
I would also take 10U one step further and move them back to 40' with the 11 inch ball.
I would also take 10U one step further and move them back to 40' with the 11 inch ball.
I'm old enough (just) to remember batting helmets coming in. I also understand the reason why they came in. A tip coming off the bat is impossible to get out of the way of. It's just too quick. You also have the issue of balls being thrown at a runner's retreating back. They can't get out of the way of a ball they can't see coming at them.
Face masks? A properly coached pitcher should be able to stop a ball hitting her in the face. The one time I've seen it happen was to a 13 year old girl (this was last year) I was the one who caught her going down. I adore the girl, but part of it was the fact that she doesn't get into a fielding position after releasing the ball. Guess what this girl has been taught the entire six months after her injury? The opposing pitcher last Saturday was a 50 year old woman who pitches 90km an hour. She caught a ball at her face. If a 50 year old can do that, then a 13/14/15 year old should be able to. I'm about 85km and I did the same.
If the problem is that the bats are too hot and are dangerous weapons, than we should ban the bats. I own and love my compisite bat. But if it makes the sport too dangerous to play than ban them.
I am not against banning the face masks. If a girl wants to wear one, or her parents want her to wear one, then she should. I might privatly think it's foolish, but it is not something I will talk anyone out of. If is not my concern. They should not be mandated.
It's dismissing my opinion based on another opinion. That does not make me or my view ignorant. Disagree with my view, I have no issue with that, but I strongly resent being called ignorant.
With U'14 going to 43' that would be really a good idea, an even better one when you factor in the safety issue.
Your comment on the bats confirms my opinion that softball needs to seriously look at the compisite bats and decide if they're worth the risk.
Totally OT, but are American age groups changing any time soon? We use to have U'16s, U'19s and Open for nationals, but they've changed now to U'17s, 19s and Opens with U'15s starting next year.
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