Thoughts?

[undergroundga]

Gov't has better things to do.
That said, stigma or no, my dd will always wear a mask! Furthermore, no player on my team(or future teams in our org., if it ever becomes that) will ever step foot on the field without a mask. there is no debate, no question. I sat our starting first baseman and best hitter this fall because she forgot her mask. It has always been a bit of a fight with her to wear it. Guess what, no more fight!

 

[Westwind]

JAD, that clip of Reagan is awesome!

Merry Christmas from about 20 miles from his boyhood home!

Like I said yesterday, bills like the facemask bill are crafted to distract the good people from the real problems and so some congress critter can see his name in the paper.

 

[chinamigarden]

Apples and oranges. Who exactly is the they you are referring to? You need to understand that there is a major difference between a rule put forth by an organization where membership is voluntary and a state statute that applies to all within its jurisdiction.

I have to give you that. But the affect is the same HS softball players wear a mask when HS baseball players do not and its not been overturned based on a constitutional challenge

 

[riseball]

I have to give you that. But the affect is the same HS softball players wear a mask when HS baseball players do not and its not been overturned based on a constitutional challenge

No it is not even close to being the same thing. What you are referring to was not mandated via legislation. It is a rule from an association (NHFS?) where membership is [/I]voluntary. It is not a state statute or local ordinance from a legislative body carrying the force of law over everyone within its jurisdiction. Do you understand the huge difference between the two?

 

[cuzmail]

.... overturned based on a constitutional challenge

We don't need no stinkin' Constitution !!

 

[slingnit]

Masks don't do more harm than good. I agree there should be some standards in safety equipment but my DD wears a rip-it face mask and I'm very confident that if she gets a line drive to face that having worn that mask will create less injury than had she been hit without wearing a mask.

I mentioned this a few months ago but in the fall, DD was hit in the stomach by a rocket line drive and she couldn't react fast enough to get a glove on it. It was hit so hard it left the balls seam marks on her belly. Had the line drive hit her face, it would have done some serious damage. Luckily she hasn't been hit yet it the face but she has taken line drives off her legs, stomach and hand over the last 6 years she had pitched. With the hot composite bats and better conditioning and hitting training, it's likely she will be hit in the head sometime in her "career". She needs her face for the rest of her life after she hangs up the cleats. I would rather her be safe than me being sorry that I was too stubborn to make her weds a mask.

The face should not be concern in this case. Had that ball been a little higher and hit her in the sternum the problem could have been much worse, possibly death.

My takes is the govt should keep their nose out of our personal lives!!! If it is mandated by a specific org then I have zero problem. But to waste time legislating issues like these are the reason I hate politics, politicians and government! My view on seatbelts and helmet laws are the exact same. If I choose not to protect myself that is my right. Now if the insurance co says they will not pay claims to anyone that isn't wearing these protective devices then that will make people reconsider. But letting the govt get into these things is like opening Pandora box. Next that bat your little 95 lb princess uses to hit 235 ft bombs will be considered to hot and she is handed an aluminum paper weight and can't get it 140'. You will hear daddies pudding and moaning to no end because it's no fair.

And the largest tb team is the Firecrackers. And let me say that if Tony told a coach that he has a kid that pitches wearing catchers gear but one of the best young arms he had ever seen and is interested in their school. That coach would not question the gear and would hop the first plane to watch this kid throw. To think coaches would overlook talent because if a mask is just dumb. To say they prefer them not wear a mask is very realistic but to shun talent because of the mask, well sounds like daddy talk for "my daughter got screwed"

 

[Rocketech1]

And the largest tb team is the Firecrackers. And let me say that if Tony told a coach that he has a kid that pitches wearing catchers gear but one of the best young arms he had ever seen and is interested in their school. That coach would not question the gear and would hop the first plane to watch this kid throw. To think coaches would overlook talent because if a mask is just dumb. To say they prefer them not wear a mask is very realistic but to shun talent because of the mask, well sounds like daddy talk for "my daughter got screwed"

First off, this discussion about the firecrackers policy was not a disgruntled parent. He doesn't have a DD that tried out for the one of the orgs teams. It was an informal talk that happened to come up. This coach made it pretty clear that they didn't want players wearing masks and that next year would be seriously considering banning them for players because college coaches wouldn't be recruiting players that wear them. Since I heard this through a friend, I will see if I can have a discussion directly with one of the connected coaches since we play in the same sand box in SoCal.

Regarding an elite athlete being recruited no matter what they are wearing. I'm not talking about the 1 in 1000 player like Keilani Ricketts who is the best of the best. Talking about the above average pitchers who would like to play college softball, possibly D1 who won't be seriously considered because they are not on the top travel ball teams and won't be seen by these D1 coaches. That is my concern if a no mask policy is implemented. Time will tell....

 

[chinamigarden]

No it is not even close to being the same thing. What you are referring to was not mandated via legislation. It is a rule from an association (NHFS?) where membership is [/I]voluntary. It is not a state statute or local ordinance from a legislative body carrying the force of law over everyone within its jurisdiction. Do you understand the huge difference between the two?

Last I checked HS softball in public schools are run by a local government body. Participation in softball is voluntary no matter who runs the teams. When a school plays ball under any set of rules and that school takes government funds you better believe they are looked at as the government inforcing those rules. Baseball players do not wear masks when batting. Softball players do. This has not be successfully challenged eventually neither will a fielding mask rule.

 

[KCPRK]

Would you agree that if an organization like the Firecrackers (with over 100 teams nationally) instituted a no mask policy that it would have a big influence on whether or not certain players would be at a severe disadvantage being recruited by college teams?

I think people sue the deep pockets so an org with over a 100 teams puts in writing no masks the first one to take a shot to the face will sue the org using their own documentation against them. Win or lose itll ruin their credibility and make them a liability as an org. That black eye so to speak will make colleges avoid them to prevent the negative stigma affecting their jobs. Happens everyday in business.

 

[Mocoso]

1. If you wont play Softball because you would be embarrassed to wear a mask then your values and passion for the game are in the wrong place and you shouldnt play
2. If you as a manager/coach wont take a player because you feel that wearing a mask makes them inferior or weak then get the #$% out of the sport.. you are an idiot not worth having a discussion with...
3. Government shouldnt be the one mandating this - WE as parents and players should be the ones striving for better safety.