PC had a talk with DD about wearing a mask in the circle....

[JJsqueeze]

Fair enough. Meanwhile my DD will continue to wear a mask while playing third base. She is committed to a big time school in the ACC. You can watch her on ESPN in a couple of years.

Finally....I was beginning to think you would never slap the table with that domino.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

My younger DD wore one for the first six years she played and recently stopped because of the stigma of "what will a college coach think?' Say what you will, but the sentiment exists.

Assuming your DD is 18, it's her choice to wear a mask or not. If she's not, then I hope your parental decision to defer to the stigma does not come back to bite her (and you).

 

[NoGolfTil2017]

Both of my softball kids, eldest and middle kids, played mainly OF until recently. They always had a mask in their bag in case they played the IF, but didn't want to wear the mask.

A couple of years ago my middle kid saw 3B creep in for a bunt, then the batter swung away. Sure, 3B wasn't a DI material kid, but no one could have dodged that ball. Fortunately, 3B was wearing a mask. She went down when it hit her square in the mask, but was okay minutes later. She was miffed that her folks kept her home the next day to watch for a concussion (she missed out on a trip to the beach), but she was fine - no concussion even.

Ever since middle kid saw 3B get hit in the mask she has worn one in the IF. Middle kid is not DI material. She went to a D3 camp a couple of weeks ago as an OF, but ended up playing 1B, 2B and 3B in the scrimmage. She wore the mask. She made some nice plays, including one really great play that had the coaches high-fiving her as she came back to the dugout. Sure, it is D3, but I really don't think they cared that she wore the mask. Probably will take that over the kid who was not wearing one in the scrimmage, and misplayed a ball which then glanced off her head (she was okay).

I wouldn't care what the coaches think. If the kid is good enough, and the coach is somewhat sane, he'll take the kid. If the kid is really good, maybe a few wacky coaches will pass on the mask wearing player, but I think there will be plenty of offers. If a coach belittles players who wear masks, maybe you don't want to play for that coach.

 

[BobInMadison]

My DS is a D-III athlete (rowing). His college coach knows DS' HS club coaches, and even used to coach one of them. For us parents, the recruiting process was mostly to make sure this was a guy we could trust to watch after our kid.
This is non trivial. When my brother was in college, 2 rowers at his college drowned. (My brother was never on any teams). Also, staph infections are common among rowers. Some kids on DS' old club team were hospitalized, and a member of his college team recently spent time in the hospital.

Softball has a different set of dangers. I wouldn't let DS row for a coach who didn't value safety first, and I won't let DD3 play softball for someone who doesn't put a high value on safety.

 

[MNDad]

I'm very curious what the status of all this will be when my 9 year old is college aged. Masks are by far the rule and not the exception in our tournaments. Every girl on our team wears one in the field, even outfield. Same is true for most of the teams we've faced. This is what they've grown up with and it doesn't affect their performance.

I like that the entire team wears masks. At 10U any girl is as likely as another to be hit in the face. I’ve always thought the argument shouldn’t just concern pitchers and corners. As they get older and develop skills to protect themselves I don’t think they’re as necessary, but would never judge a girl for wearing one. Whatever makes them the most comfortable.

DD chooses not to wear one. I don’t think that makes me a bad parent as some have suggested.

 

[sleepwalker]

Sure, it is D3, but I really don't think they cared that she wore the mask.

I don't think that the level of ball has anything to do with protecting your face or having the ability to protect your face when a line drive is hit back to the pitcher.

In Major League Baseball this year, 4 pitchers that I know of were hit in the face by line drives. The NYY, Diamondbacks, Dodgers and Indians all witnessed one of their pitchers take a line drive to the face in 2015.

If I read the articles on head protection in MLB this year correctly, there are 4 pitchers that are wearing a cap or an experimental padding in their caps to attempt to lessen the blow of taking a line drive to the skull. Those pitchers throw for the New York Mets, Astros, White Sox and Yankees.

Protective masks appear to be more prevalent in the College softball game every year. Pitchers wearing masks while pitching in college have been seen on the big stage, Womens College World Series, during the last few years. The PAC 12 saw a U of W pitcher wear one and the SEC saw a Kentucky pitcher wear a protective mask.

The NPF has an infielder that wears a protective mask at third base.

My point is, the next time someone tells you or your kid that college coaches won't recruit a kid if they are wearing a mask or look down on athletes that wear masks, tell them they need to get out and watch more college softball games. Watching 1 softball game in the last decade, does not make that person an expert.

p.s. there was a great thread earlier this year of a D3 pitcher, pitcing in the NPF this last year

 

[grcsftbll]

I like that the entire team wears masks. At 10U any girl is as likely as another to be hit in the face. I’ve always thought the argument shouldn’t just concern pitchers and corners. As they get older and develop skills to protect themselves I don’t think they’re as necessary, but would never judge a girl for wearing one. Whatever makes them the most comfortable.

DD chooses not to wear one. I don’t think that makes me a bad parent as some have suggested.

I don't think you're a bad parent. My older dd plays baseball with a team full of boys. None of them wears a mask and I think if I tried to make her, she'd quit.

 

[strawman]

If a coach is "old school" enough to not recruit girls with masks, he's also very likely to have "old school" hitting and fielding philosophies that don't necessarily translate to today's game. You're probably better off going elsewhere anyway.

 

[CMMom1740]

This is my DH's friend from high school. Pretty graphic, but worth a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW9rqT5st1M

 

[Pop time 00]

We just had a 11 year old pitcher take a line drive off the face while wearing a mask. She was ok. Scared the crap out of everyone though. I don't even know why this is an issue.