Is a fielding Face Mask necessary?

[Amy in AZ.]

I am convinced that RipIt was made for men's slow pitch. I bought one and tried it and I think I found out it was 5 ounces heavier than the gameface.

I am a 5'9" female and it was way too heavy for me. Now, maybe if it was the only one I had ever worn, but I don't know. I traded it for 2 Defenders and was happy.

 

[FJRGerry]

Evoshield

My DD was pitching in 12u and I had bought the gameface mask for her but she didn't like wearing it. She was hit with a linedrive to the chest and it knocked the breath out of her, after composing herself she went to her bat bag got out the gameface and has worn it ever since. Another pitcher on our team quit pitching after seeing that and has never pitched again. Oh yeah, I have $5,000 in braces so a $50 mask seems like a good investment.

I bought my daughter the Gameface when she turned 11. She used it just for pitching at first. She was the first in our LL organization to use a face mask and it took her a while to feel comfortable wearing it - mostly because she was the only one using one (I told her she was a trend setter). Last year, at 12, she started travel and used it whenever pitching or playing infield. She also wore it during practice as well. This season, at 14U, her Gameface is simply part of her uniform, like batting gloves, helmet and shin guards.

Last year I also bought her an Evoshield chest and kidney protector and she wears it every game with no issues at all. She says it's comfortable and immediatly took to it.

 

[TimothyJ]

(I told her she was a trend setter).

Funny, I had a talk with my daughter (10yrs old) about wearing a mask last night. I've never seen a girl wearing one in our league, but she's seen girls wearing them at her pitching practices and travel team games we've watched.

Surprisingly, she immediately was up for it. When I mentioned that she'd probably be the only one wearing it, at least at first, she said she didn't care. So, we'll be shopping for one this weekend

 

[fastpitch]

This season, at 14U, her Gameface is simply part of her uniform, like batting gloves, helmet and shin guards.

Last year I also bought her an Evoshield chest and kidney protector and she wears it every game with no issues at all. She says it's comfortable and immediatly took to it.

A girl on our team this fall was wearing soccer shin guards as well when pitching. That was the first time I heard of that. I wonder how common that is.

Some leagues in our area make the heart or chest protector mandatory for all pitchers.

With athletes today getting bigger, stronger, faster and bat technology getting better the speed of the game is increasing. I wouldn't be surprised if young girls playing 20 years from now look like they might be going to play mens lacrosse. I don't think that's a bad thing. The game evolves. If it means more girls playing and being safe, I'm all for it.

 

[JC heir]

My pitcher & 3b wear a mask period. If we choose a defense where the 1b isnt crashing bunts, then I dont force her to wear one, but I honestly would prefer all infielders wear one. My ss lost a high pop-up in the sun last year & got her nose broke.

having said that- I dont think the fake bunt/ swing away is as dangerous as a 3b playing up close in a bunt situation & having the batter just plain swing away, because I think is very difficult to do all the faking around/bat movement & get set to put a good hard lick on the ball. Also, I personally dont call the fake bunt / swing away, but love every other aspect of the short game. I have been blessed with some weak teams & we either had to learn the short game or die

 

[3DD'sDAD]

My DD (pitcher) started wearing a mask (Gameface) in her first year 14U (last year). This year she pitched in 16U and also wore a chest protector to protect against Sudden Heart Failure if hit in the chest. She has no problem wearing the protection at all. It has actually helped her confidence. This year I witnessed a pitcher from the opposing team get drilled in the face from one of our hitters. She had no time to react, but was wearing a D mask. I was coaching third at the time and I firmly believe that mask saved her life as the ball would have struck her directly in the middle of the face. She walked off the diamond crying and shaken up - but she walked off the diamond, not taken off on a stretcher. She was not seriously injured - she ended up with a broken septum and a broken D mask. All of our pitchers wear masks now. I require all of our players to wear mouthguards. Not only to save the $$ spent on braces but to reduce the chance of concussion. IMO mouthguards should be mandatory for all and facemaks mandatory for at least pitchers, 3rd base and 1st base.

 

[FJRGerry]

I remember pitching to 9 & 10 year olds in LL minor level games a few years ago. Our league had a coach pitch rule where the coach pitched if a batter was walked so the batters ended up either hitting, or striking out. My job was to pitch down the middle perfect strikes so the girls could hit and I had to get out of the way QUICK a few times (pitching from 35 feet). We had one girl who swung for the fence every time and once hit a line drive just below the belt back at me - lucky I was limber enough to jump up and do a split - or else... I shudder to think! These experiences made me realize just how little time a girl has to react, so the next season (I didn't know face masks existed at that time) I bought my daughter the Gameface. She's been using it for 3 years whenever playing any infield position.

 

[blackwidows18]

I remember one game last season, where i had a linedrive hit right back at me, and i barely had time to get out of the way. After that, me and my dad went out and bought a GameFace, and i've wore it ever since. During this most recent season, my coach put me on third, and without a second thought, i had put on my GameFace. I think wearing facemasks will be mandatory soon enough in ASA.

 

[MTR]

I think wearing facemasks will be mandatory soon enough in ASA.

I doubt it. And I hope not.

 

[rowdy]

To me this is a no brainer. My daughter is not allowed to set foot on the field without her mask on. When it comes to safety I think every precaution should be taken and the vision is not impaired much if at all. We started with a plastic version of a mask but saw a girl wearing a metal mask by rip it that was much better. We recommended to softball sales to carry this mask and you can now find it on the web site. It is worlds better than the original plastic one we purchased and consequently it is much easier to get my daughter to wear it.