Moving up to 10u a little early.

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Apr 20, 2018
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Parents still have the responsibility of their children regardless of the coach.
Parents don't hand over that responsibility just because of a coach.
Parents are the people who pay for the teams their children play on. There is no coach that can influence Beyond that parental decision.
Stop blaming coaches for what people choose to do or not. AKA what team they play for: there are plenty of silly coaching things that happen regardless of Fielding mask topic. Ultimately the decision of who to play for is still the parents!
While I agree with you that parents have the last word (although that is legally changing in CA when it comes to medical decisions) players/parents usually don't get to choose their HS Coach.
Its funny. In CA base coaches are required to wear helmets when on the field, but the same coaches tell players (including pitchers) they don't like fielders to wear mask because it looks weak.
 

radness

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Dec 13, 2019
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While I agree with you that parents have the last word (although that is legally changing in CA when it comes to medical decisions) players/parents usually don't get to choose their HS Coach.
Its funny. In CA base coaches are required to wear helmets when on the field, but the same coaches tell players (including pitchers) they don't like fielders to wear mask because it looks weak.
Too much blaming on the coach.
Completely disagree h.s. coach can force a player not to wear safety equipment. Especially in high school setting where there are authorities over the coach.
( will agree people are influenced by what a coach says but the coach in high school does not have top authority)

Parents have a huge impact on situations in high school. In fact that can make it extremely tough for coaches to continue back to back years because of the impact of Parental complaining.
 
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radness

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Dec 13, 2019
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If the coach is taking that stance they deserve blame.
Screenshot_20220730-090219_Chrome.jpg
Blame would be assigning the responsibility of not wearing the mask onto someone else, that is what I disagree with.

Parents have the responsibility over their children. There are plenty of times coaches might say players should do things that I would also disagree with that might have to do with mechanics of playing the sport. But I don't blame the coach for having an opinion of what they think they prefer is better. And in that case it's still up to the parents and players to be wise about their decisions of what they are going to do.


That said parents/players always have the choice of trying to do something to remedy the situation.
Whatever extent that is in high school vs travel ball could be very different.
 
Jun 8, 2016
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View attachment 26112
Blame would be assigning the responsibility of not wearing the mask onto someone else, that is what I disagree with.

Parents have the responsibility over their children. There are plenty of times coaches might say players should do things that I would also disagree with that might have to do with mechanics of playing the sport. But I don't blame the coach for having an opinion of what they think they prefer is better. And in that case it's still up to the parents and players to be wise about their decisions of what they are going to do.



Whatever extent that is in high school vs travel ball could be very different.

Lol..ok Webster. Coach deserves criticism… better?
 
May 29, 2015
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While I agree with the concept, @jsoftballcoach , a "governing body" organizational requirement (meaning the writers of one of the rulebooks) would probably require some kind of standardization. Fielder's masks are not independently tested or standardized.

That said, I applaud teams or orgs that promote safety in any form. I've asked for years if we need to look at making the softball field bigger as athletes age and grow. I know there are some small adjustments for the pitcher's plate, but why are we using the same 60-foot bases from 8u to NCAA? (Yes, the small field makes for a faster and more exciting game.)
 
Sep 3, 2015
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While I agree with the concept, @jsoftballcoach , a "governing body" organizational requirement (meaning the writers of one of the rulebooks) would probably require some kind of standardization. Fielder's masks are not independently tested or standardized.

Fair enough, but are gloves tested? How about catchers gear, cleats? I would assume that batting helmets are.

I’ll admit I have no idea how the “governing bodies” work, just seems like a no-brainier to mandate safety.


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May 29, 2015
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Fair enough, but are gloves tested? How about catchers gear, cleats? I would assume that batting helmets are.

I’ll admit I have no idea how the “governing bodies” work, just seems like a no-brainier to mandate safety.


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Gloves and cleats are not safety equipment and have no mandates on them.

Catcher’s gear (helmet and CP) is tested. Recent changes include outlawing the two-piece mask/helmet because they cannot be tested and NOCSAE certification now required on chest protectors.

Batting helmets and their deigned face masks are tested.

The issue with requiring safety equipment is liability. If I tell you you HAVE to use a face mask, I need to know the face mask meets a minimum testing safety standard. If there is no standard and you show up with the newest Aluminum Foil Allstar Facemask* (with special cooling modifications made by your dad who forgot to put two screws back in it) BECAUSE I said you had to and then that aluminum foil doesn’t work when a line drive hits it … who told you you HAD to wear it? (At least dad’s built in ice packs will help with the pain.)

*AF-AF was a hard effort to get a weak quasi-Star Wars reference in.

I agree mandating safety is a no-brainer … but you should put lots of thought into how to do it.
 
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Jan 22, 2011
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Catcher’s gear (helmet and CP) is tested. Recent changes include outlawing the two-piece mask/helmet because they cannot be tested and NOCSAE certification now required on chest protectors.

I'm hoping manufacturers are making NOCSAE chest protectors for females, but as far as I can find the requirement is a NFHS and NCAA Baseball rule, but not softball as far as I can find.

I'll find out soon, as my DD is catching some again and I need to buy her a new chest protector.... last new one was bought in 2018.

As far as fielding masks, I never required them, then pointed at my DD wearing one. Now she just wears one when pitching and playing 3B. I bought her one in 8u rec where they used the low compression ball and she didn't want to wear it. In 8u rec coach pitch (we don't allow walks) the coach put in a perfect meatball pitch to the best athlete in 8u and lined it off my DD's head so hard it almost hit the 3B coach. Even though she didn't exhibit any concussion symptoms, the doctor held her out for a week. After missing a week of softball, she wore the mask.

Luckily, she has a hard head like her father. I was sure in 2007 in two or three years they would be mandated for pitchers, if not pitchers and corners. Probably after the fiasco of I think 2004 of them mandating facemasks for batting helmets before any facemasks were NOSCAE certified and the next year everyone having to buy new helmets (or new face masks) when NOSCAE facemasks were certified, no one governing body wants to make them mandatory and no one wants to pay for the testing to get them certified. They don't prevent concussions, they prevent broken noses, eye sockets, and teeth.

 

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