Facemasks

[riseball]

After reading the specs from the NOCSAE for fielders headgear and protective face masks, I get the idea that any certification of face mask only products is not happening any time soon.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

How many in games vs practice?

Good question - and I do not know the answer.

 

[Shelbylynn]

Morgan Stuart brought this very issue up on FB yesterday wondering where parents stand on this. Her response to parents of students is for their players "Play any way you are the most confident."

 

[RetiredCoach]

Morgan Stuart brought this very issue up on FB yesterday wondering where parents stand on this. Her response to parents of students is for their players "Play any way you are the most confident."

Interesting answer. I guess for me it is about safety, not confidence.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

Like I said you may or may not agree...I think your NOSCAE stance is incorrect considering that some (if not all) the alphabet sanctioning bodies require NOSCAE standard face guards on helmets. This begins the status of acceptability. NOSCAE being a private organization is irrelevant.

It's not whether or not I agree, it's what the law says.

Acceptance within the sport and acceptance in a legal sense are not the same thing, and the legal aspect is what I was trying to address. NOCSAE sets some standards, and it's good that someone is doing something, but there is quite a lot of pushback as well (NFL concussion scandal). For now, the only reason I care about NOCSAE is because we use the ASA/NFHS rule sets, and those specifically mention NOCSAE.

So, allow me to rephrase, as I presented my position poorly - my apologies for being unclear in what I meant: There is no federal standard for recreational batting helmets like there is DOT certification for motorcycle helmets, and the NOCSAE standards are set by a private organization with no federal standards or legal guidelines to follow. There is probably case law somewhere regarding NOCSAE, but I'm not going to spend money on that legal research when it has no bearing on my specific situation in Ohio.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

Interesting answer. I guess for me it is about safety, not confidence.

Me, too. Already had one of my 12U girls suffer a mild concussion at 1B fielding a grounder that hopped into her chin.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

After reading the specs from the NOCSAE for fielders headgear and protective face masks, I get the idea that any certification of face mask only products is not happening any time soon.

If ever. Considering the increase in usage, I'm surprised they don't have a standard yet.

Edit: I just posted a comment on their site for their upcoming 2016 meeting asking when they might be getting around to this.

 

[MTR]

If ever. Considering the increase in usage, I'm surprised they don't have a standard yet.

Edit: I just posted a comment on their site for their upcoming 2016 meeting asking when they might be getting around to this.

NOCSAE doen't go out and just pull things to test and develop. Once it is requested, it would take a couple years before it to take

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

NOCSAE doen't go out and just pull things to test and develop. Once it is requested, it would take a couple years before it to take

No doubt, and I'm sure it has to be requested by the mfg's. I guess I just figured that Rip-It or someone would have asked for testing already, but I don't see stand-alone fielder's masks listed in their testing pipeline on their website.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Like I said you may or may not agree.
However:
I think your NOSCAE stance is incorrect considering that some (if not all) the alphabet sanctioning bodies require NOSCAE standard face guards on helmets. This begins the status of acceptability. NOSCAE being a private organization is irrelevant.
There is always an attorney somewhere who would "touch this".

Slippin' Jimmy comes to mind