Face masks for any fielder any age?

[cuzmail]

she comes back because she doesn't want to show any weakness to the batters.

It is a shame she (and others) equate a mask with weakness.

FWIW, I have said this before. It does not need to be mandated. However, the choice to wear one should be universally accepted.

My DD has been wearing one since she started pitching at 9 (now 12). It has become a part of her equipment and she feels lost without it. She usually plays P and 2B, but recently she spent some time in CF and wore the mask there too. I asked why and she said that it is a part of her in softball.

The mask doesn't make her more or less aggressive, but it can save us some medical and dental costs. The decision is easy for us. I only wish some of the sport's idols would have the same opinion.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Kaia Parnaby, University of Hawaii's ace pitcher, was recently hit with a comebacker that broke her nose and caused her to miss 2 games last weekend (both losses). She was also hit with a line drive in her freshman season that broke a bone in her face. It was interesting to hear her in an interview say that she will not wear a mask when she comes back because she doesn't want to show any weakness to the batters.

Well, the incidents certainly didn't make her any smarter...hope she has good medical insurance...

 

[Greenmonsters]

Kaia Parnaby, University of Hawaii's ace pitcher, was recently hit with a comebacker that broke her nose and caused her to miss 2 games last weekend (both losses). She was also hit with a line drive in her freshman season that broke a bone in her face. It was interesting to hear her in an interview say that she will not wear a mask when she comes back because she doesn't want to show any weakness to the batters.

Appear weak or miss 2 games? Which is more beneficial to her team?

 

[cuzmail]

Well, the incidents certainly didn't make her any smarter...hope she has good medical insurance...

funny stuff there!

Maybe while she's in college she should use a few credits and take a course in risk - reward or risk - benefit

 

[smddad]

It was interesting to hear her in an interview say that she will not wear a mask when she comes back because she doesn't want to show any weakness to the batters.

It seems to me like she needs to work on hitting the corners. Until then, a mask may be necessary.

Like I always say, "there is a fine line between being tough and stupid." It sounds like she is both.

 

[1fingeredknuckler]

Be tough and miss games or possibly a little safer and stay in the game?

 

[bucket pinata]

Cracks me up, Infielders don't want to look stupid so they don't want to wear a mask, but they don't mind misfielding every hard hit ground ball cause they are pulling their head every time.Looking stupid must not mean what I think it means.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I am 59 and have been suffering from sinus problems all week. I can't imagine what I would feel like, if I had had my face broken when I was 20. But, I was young once and you couldn't tell me anything, either.

 

[Kaizen]

It seems to me like she needs to work on hitting the corners. Until then, a mask may be necessary.

She is near the top of the NCAA in many of the pitching statistics, so I don't think that's the issue.

Like I always say, "there is a fine line between being tough and stupid." It sounds like she is both.

Agreed.

 

[1fingeredknuckler]

There are probably very few hitters that are "aiming", but if the hitter is taught right, to play line to line .and hit it where it's pitched or drive it up the middle "where the pitcher happens to be", you can be lucky or just the opposite. I have seen more NCAA pitchers and others wearing a mask, so it might be that they do understand the unfortunate circumstances that they could fall victim to. Hard to let a child make that decision on their own, "10-12 years old", they might need a little guidance