Helmets during practice

[RichK]

To OP, PLEASE always have girls wear helmets when facing machine pitching. A slight cut or rip in a dimple ball can turn it into a curve ball and a loose bracket tightener connection can have the aim shift a couple of inches by mistake fairly easily.

 

[Westwind]

Concussion is no joke. It is not to be taken lightly. And sometimes it can happen with surprisingly small amount of impact.

Every cage is different. Some net is stretched and the ball rebounds off it.

My home cage has a low ceiling. Once every few weeks I get nailed in the head while front tossing, it skips off the roof. I wear a helmet. It still rings my bell.

Players, especially younger ones and players that haven’t spent a lot of time in a practice environment do unpredictable things. Getting hit in the head with a bat....

To OP, PLEASE always have girls wear helmets when facing machine pitching. A slight cut or rip in a dimple ball can turn it into a curve ball and a loose bracket tightener connection can have the aim shift a couple of inches by mistake fairly easily.

Rich K is spot on. I have one of the better machines on the market. With brand new balls of a certain kind I can pour strikes into the zone. After some time, the become unpredictable. Can’t tell you how many times I have seen oddball movement seemingly out of the blue with good condition balls. When they get a little tiny tear, holy cow. They do crazy stuff.

 

[Chris8]

To OP, PLEASE always have girls wear helmets when facing machine pitching. A slight cut or rip in a dimple ball can turn it into a curve ball and a loose bracket tightener connection can have the aim shift a couple of inches by mistake fairly easily.

OP PLEASE PLEASE listen to RichK. We've had this happen, a pitching machine tightener loosened during use...balls were strait strikes and then the machine moved enough and sent a ball way off course and a player hit in the helmet and a concussion resulted...out for 4 weeks. Don't mess around IMHO.

 

[canyonjoe]

I've never heard one girls suggest not wearing a helmet during the games. I don't think you'll find too much support for them not wearing them during BP with a machine or live pitching. I personally don't see the need during soft toss, tee work,etc. If I am pitch BP to DD from 20 feet she usually doesn't wear one but if it's a team practice I'll usually highly suggest they do. The place you should wear one is in a cage especially if you are pitching. I've gotten hit several time.