Little help?

[BuckeyeGuy]

I agree that if safety is the reason why you want them to keep it on, we are on the same page. I am not sure I would call it poor catching technique to take it off though. Usually players girls or boys migrate to taking it off at some point as they get older. I guess it's more a visual thing even though the new helmets are much better than the older style. MS ages you have a solid reason to leave it on but as I am sure you know, young ladies at that age have a mind of their own!

That's kind of the point - if the technique makes you less safe, it's poor technique by definition. Catching is inherently dangerous, we know that, but there's no reason to make it more so by deliberately unprotecting your head. Same reason you don't straddle the plate for a tag play or stick your glove into the swing zone.

 

[Stimer]

That's kind of the point - if the technique makes you less safe, it's poor technique by definition. Catching is inherently dangerous, we know that, but there's no reason to make it more so by deliberately unprotecting your head. Same reason you don't straddle the plate for a tag play or stick your glove into the swing zone.

We agree that it's safer and better for the player to leave it on. I think if they make a rule change like they did for the 2 examples (catcher obstruction) you used, it would be much easier to get the catchers to change. If the player felt as comfortable making plays with it leaving it on as off, I would hope they would leave it on. The newer mask are much better than in my day so I can't speak first hand on this. I think I am going to ask that question of my catchers this week at practice (why they don't leave it on). I am interested in the answer since I never gave too much thought to it before this.

 

[quincy]

Coaches taught them, there is an art to ripping off and throwing the helmet out of the way.

 

[quincy]

Silly question but serious question.

If the helmet fits properly is it easy to rip it off?

 

[Stimer]

Coaches taught them, there is an art to ripping off and throwing the helmet out of the way.

Lol, agreed but that is not what I meant. I should have clarified. If they are making the same play with or without the mask, which do they feel more confident making a play on the ball, on or off?

 

[chazbz1]

I still remember the first time I watched a catcher get knocked cold out from a home plate collision when our daughter Mackenzie first started playing comp ball. Mack was playing 14U (She's 24 now) with this catcher on another field nearby was 12U. No child needs this to happen to them... No parent should have to go through that. I've watched my own daughter have her masked fly 10 feet after taking an elbow to the side of her mask. (With new braces no less) And since starting to work with catchers, I've seen too many concussions, teeth knocked out and most recently had a parent share with me this fall about her daughter getting her jaw broken with two teeth knocked out during warm ups.

There is NO WORTHWHILE REASON for a fastpitch catcher to take off their mask with the ball in play. A catcher plays the way they are taught. There are numerous college and pro players that can make any type of play with their masks on. I've created Catcher Myth #27 Catcher's Should Take their Mask Off to illustrate this point. There are better ways that are being utilized at the highest levels in our sports. Why is it so difficult to help others understand the risk their kids are at when they remove their safety gear in games?!! If our kids practice with their masks on.... If their coaches and parent work with them on pop ups and diving catches with their masks on... then they won't see the need to take their mask off.

May I share your video?

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

I still remember the first time I watched a catcher get knocked cold out from a home plate collision when our daughter Mackenzie first started playing comp ball. Mack was playing 14U (She's 24 now) with this catcher on another field nearby was 12U. No child needs this to happen to them... No parent should have to go through that. I've watched my own daughter have her masked fly 10 feet after taking an elbow to the side of her mask. (With new braces no less) And since starting to work with catchers, I've seen too many concussions, teeth knocked out and most recently had a parent share with me this fall about her daughter getting her jaw broken with two teeth knocked out during warm ups.

There is NO WORTHWHILE REASON for a fastpitch catcher to take off their mask with the ball in play. A catcher plays the way they are taught. There are numerous college and pro players that can make any type of play with their masks on. I've created Catcher Myth #27 Catcher's Should Take their Mask Off to illustrate this point. There are better ways that are being utilized at the highest levels in our sports. Why is it so difficult to help others understand the risk their kids are at when they remove their safety gear in games?!! If our kids practice with their masks on.... If their coaches and parent work with them on pop ups and diving catches with their masks on... then they won't see the need to take their mask off.

May I share your video?

Sure, no real privacy issues there, no names or anything.

 

[Lenski]

A reason to take off today's mask is it still obscures vision, particularly when the ball is hit straight up. If the ball is hit out into the field, or barely gets any height like the video provided by BuckeyeGuy, the mask should stay on. Most college catchers take off their mask on high pop-ups but leave them on when the ball is in play. A hockey style mask is easier to take off than a combined mask and helmet system from 40 years ago. As a matter of fact, the Wilson Shock fx 2.0 helmet has a levered piece on the back plate that aids in ease of removal.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

This is pretty much what NECC teaches (or taught on the DVD): ball hit straight up, mask in hand, back to the infield, toss the mask away from the direction you're moving.

 

[YOCOACH]

August 2015 NECC's tip of the month







“Mask On Mask Off?"



The number of questions we’ve gotten recently on what to do with the catcher’s mask on a popup has been astounding. It’s been quite the hot-button issue this Summer.

I had this debate with my father years ago and I was insistent on taking it off. I told him that I had never seen an MLB catcher leave it on. He kept telling me “son, just go outside and try it.” Now in all fairness, I was a two-piece guy my entire career, and would never think of leaving the mask on, hockey-style or not. For me it just wasn’t even a consideration.

One day we got into a heated discussion about this play and we agreed that I would go out to the field the next morning, and field a few pop-ups with the mask on. Funny thing happened that night. Before we could ever get to the experiment, I was watching a Phillies vs. Cardinals game and saw both Carlos Ruiz and Yadier Molina field sky-high pop-ups with their masks on in consecutive innings. My dad just leaned over and grinned.

While we were at the field the next day he asked me “Jay, you love hockey, right? Well have you ever seen a shot from the blue line deflect straight up into the air?” Naturally, I said yes. “And did the goalie then feel the need to take his mask off?!?!” We laughed, but the point was made.

Catchers, if you are wearing the “hockey-style” masks you do NOT need to take the mask off. In fact, those masks are designed to allow you to see just fine. If you’ve never understood how this might be possible, head out to a field and have someone throw a bunch of balls into the air for you with your mask on. You WILL be able to track and follow the balls path and set yourself up to make a clean play. Keeping it on serves two purposes. One, it saves a bunch of time. And two, it eliminates any risk of tripping on your helment after you take it off.

For some of you younger catchers, the weight of the helmet might be too much. In that case, and only that case, does the mask need to come off, but make sure you don’t ditch it until you have located the ball. Otherwise you risk throwing it to the ground at a spot you might very well be headed.

Now ladies, simply put…NEVER take it off. Ever. Popups in the girls’ game do not go as high as in baseball. There is just no time to take it off, find the ball, set up and then make the catch. Often, popups in softball are dinks and dunks over the catcher’s shoulders, requiring a much quicker approach to the ball.

In either case, and to reiterate the point, the masks are designed to be left on. Yes, even in the case of popups.

Jay Weaver - Director of Operations