Pitchers Beware~ a post about Being Ready

[Vertigo]

I had one of those 25 cases happen to a client of mine. His son was a lacrosse player who took a shot to his chest. It caused his heart to stop, and tragically, he died as a result. It was not an overly hard shot. It just hit at the wrong spot at the wrong time.

Most heart guards aren't designed to prevent that injury. I assume Evoshield gel-to-shell is really the only one that works, but they can be uncomfortable for girls as they develop up top.

This is why it is super important for any sports complex to have an AED on-site. This is a huge thing that will help in this instance as when there is a blow to the chest, the heart will go into ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation and the AED will shock them out of it.

Also, having people onsite knowledgeable in CPR helps!

 

[Dabears17]

18 to 20 years ago the local rec league had that occur. Pitcher needed to be med-evac'd to the hospital. In response the league only used the low-compression ball in 10u until this year. This year the league went back to using the "real" 11" ball. They still ban composite bats in 10u rec play intra-league. The girl lived and the Stanford Softball team visited her in the hospital.

Low risk happening and it's up to the parents. My DD is 16 and still wears the fielding mask when pitching or playing 3B.

 

[Vertigo]

When I was the Safety Officer for our local LL I was able to get an AED donated for our complex. Thank god we’ve never needed it, but it is also invaluable when people could be experiencing a heart attack - happened to a ref at a local basketball game and the AED saved him.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

The incident happened 15+ years ago, so I'm not sure there was an AED at the school or anywhere nearby.

I saw it happen at our local LL back in 2015. Two brothers were and pitching to each other in the cage and not using the L Screen. One boy hit the ball back into his brother's chest and stopped his heart. Thankfully, there was a doctor and police officer right there when it happened, so they grabbed the AED and shocked his heart back into beating again. Of course, the L Screen was right there. They just didn't use it.

 

[Top_Notch]

This is why it is super important for any sports complex to have an AED on-site. This is a huge thing that will help in this instance as when there is a blow to the chest, the heart will go into ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation and the AED will shock them out of it.

Also, having people onsite knowledgeable in CPR helps!

Amen @Vertigo.

First thing I do when I get to any softball park (or gathering) is look for the location(s) of an AED. I am totally biased, but a couple of years ago a co-worker dropped and stopped breathing. Nobody could find the AED! I knew where it was, grabbed it, instructed a co-worker to unpack it as I started CPR.

Together as a team we revived him prior to the paramedics arriving although he flatlined in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. He ended up being jump started again and came out just fine.

I was CPR, AED, and emergency survival/first aid trained almost by accident. My son was a Boy Scout and we (6 of us) camped on a Florida deserted barrier island (Big Munson Island) and the parents were required to take emergency training just in case something were to happen. I never thought I'd need to use it, but glad I had it! Our instructors were awesome and highly recommend the training. It comes in very handy for a variety of scenarios. (My son also went on to make Eagle Scout!)

 

[PJR202]

I agree with a mask being a must. I would add that a heart guard for a pitcher is a must too.

My DD has been a pitcher since she started at 8U and is still playing at 16U. Her glove hand finishes "up" so she is at the ready to protect herself. With today's hot bats, sometimes the ball comes back just too quickly. It's also very difficult to protect against low line drives, so a pad on the front shin isn't a bad idea. Nothing worse than watching a pitcher take a line drive. Gear up.

She has an evo shield heart protector but forgets to put it on half the time. I realized last night that she WANTS the hit-back. She sees it as an opportunity to make a play. Her other position is 3B so she's used to rockets. Still definitely gonna work on reflexes and readiness this summer.

 

[HunterMO]

She has an evo shield heart protector but forgets to put it on half the time. I realized last night that she WANTS the hit-back. She sees it as an opportunity to make a play. Her other position is 3B so she's used to rockets. Still definitely gonna work on reflexes and readiness this summer.

Wanting weak contact hit backs (and in general) is good. In a game yesterday, our #2 pitcher was involved in 3 straight outs. Fielded a bunt, soft pop-fly, and a weak(ish) grounder. All three were in her immediate direction. That's what I'm assuming your DD wants?

One of DD's school ball teammates (very good pitcher) left one over the middle which came back and got her in the face. LUCKILY, it wasn't a missile and she was able to turn so it deflected rather than hitting her square. She wears a mask which popped off her face with the contact. I wonder if that helps re-direct some of the energy? Fortunately, she was okay. But silenced all in attendance for a few seconds.

 

[PJR202]

Wanting weak contact hit backs (and in general) is good. In a game yesterday, our #2 pitcher was involved in 3 straight outs. Fielded a bunt, soft pop-fly, and a weak(ish) grounder. All three were in her immediate direction. That's what I'm assuming your DD wants?

One of DD's school ball teammates (very good pitcher) left one over the middle which came back and got her in the face. LUCKILY, it wasn't a missile and she was able to turn so it deflected rather than hitting her square. She wears a mask which popped off her face with the contact. I wonder if that helps re-direct some of the energy? Fortunately, she was okay. But silenced all in attendance for a few seconds.

Those liners at the face are scary. The mask should actually absorb the majority of it because it'll take the impact and send the energy to the contact points, which are all foam. I'd almost rather she take one to the mask than to the chest or shoulder. The neck movement is what I think would be the most dangerous. She's had a few line drives come at her in the circle. Knocked a couple down but hasn't caught any. She's grabbed all the grounders though. She's 5'5" and about 130lbs I think, so she's not small, but I want her as safe/prepared as possible.

She just wants everything hit at her. She doesn't care. She took a pitch to the leg while batting a few weeks ago. Saw it coming and just looked down at her leg until it hit. I was coaching 1B. I'm like "you didn't even move," and she said "finally I got hit!" as she trotted toward 1B. It was 3/4 into the season but apparently was her first HBP. On the flipside of that. in the circle we call her sniper for all the batters she's hit. She's 14, and before starting softball at 11 she was the dainty one afraid of bugs and most physical contact. Softball and a competitive spirit has turned her into a minor league savage. She's still afraid of bugs.

Her 16 year old sister (infielder who doesn't pitch), who is shorter and lighter, has always been considered the tougher one. She's naturally stronger (arm wrestling champion), and doesn't care to take a ground ball to the leg, etc, but the gap between them is shrinking fast. Little sis is much more willing to get under a barbell or swing a kettlebell.

I just need to get her reflexes better. She's not as naturally coordinated as big sis and I want her as prepared in the circle as possible, and able to deliberately throw spotted strikes and competent spin to minimize direct confrontation from the hits. She may want everything in her grasp, but I don't...lol. Some of the HS girls around here are built like linebackers and right now she's still throwing meatballs.