Is this statement based on empirical data or just your finger in the wind?
Thoughts?
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Is this statement based on empirical data or just your finger in the wind?
- Jun 22, 2008
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BS legislation that is completely unwarranted in a game run by adults
Football went from no helmets to leather helmets to progressing to what they have today. Why, to help curb injuries as players became faster and stronger and hit harder. I equate the softball facemask to the NFL and College football knee brace issue. Players used to where knee braces after being injured. Now, they where knee braces as a proactive / preventative measure.
I have seen college softball players go to a mask after getting hit. Funny thing is that coaches will put a mask on a player to get them on the field sooner, for their benefit, but frown upon those who wear masks as a proactive safety measure. Ex Olympian Stacey Nuveman even made a comment regarding wearing a facemask when batting "Stacey Nuveman, San Diego State University assistant softball coach says that her players should “toughen up” instead of wearing batting face masks". This statement shows the mentality of some coaches.
One article stated that 20% of softball injuries last year were to the face and head to include 8,000 concussions. Regardless of your stance in the matter that is a significant number. Like football todays girls are much bigger and stronger, and as a result the hit faster and harder. Especially with the increase in the use of "shaved" bats. So, it's not hard to see where the mask issue is going. Especially at the corners and pitchers mound. Bottom line is that there is a natural progression to everything and things generally take care of themselves. With that being said it is probably time to seriously consider the issue. We don't, in my opinion, need the government involved like in there waste of $400,000 in a ridiculous effort to change the name of a manhole cover to a person hole cover.
I have seen college softball players go to a mask after getting hit. Funny thing is that coaches will put a mask on a player to get them on the field sooner, for their benefit, but frown upon those who wear masks as a proactive safety measure. Ex Olympian Stacey Nuveman even made a comment regarding wearing a facemask when batting "Stacey Nuveman, San Diego State University assistant softball coach says that her players should “toughen up” instead of wearing batting face masks". This statement shows the mentality of some coaches.
One article stated that 20% of softball injuries last year were to the face and head to include 8,000 concussions. Regardless of your stance in the matter that is a significant number. Like football todays girls are much bigger and stronger, and as a result the hit faster and harder. Especially with the increase in the use of "shaved" bats. So, it's not hard to see where the mask issue is going. Especially at the corners and pitchers mound. Bottom line is that there is a natural progression to everything and things generally take care of themselves. With that being said it is probably time to seriously consider the issue. We don't, in my opinion, need the government involved like in there waste of $400,000 in a ridiculous effort to change the name of a manhole cover to a person hole cover.
- Jun 22, 2008
- 3,438
- 48
Want to resolve the issue, return to the original game rules where the BB is 3x5 and bunts were not legal
- Jun 22, 2008
- 3,438
- 48
It is called slowpitch.
No, those are the original rules of softball which was NOT slow pitch
My point was fastpitch would then become as exciting as....
- Jun 22, 2008
- 3,438
- 48
FP is no more exciting than SP depending on the observer. The SP game is so much quicker with more activity, I'll take that game any day over FP.
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Seems to be a bit of both. There is a link embedded in the post that shows NFHS participation numbers over the last several seasons. If you look at fastpitch softball state-by-state, the numbers seem to be up in some areas (CA, AZ, CO) and down in others. That could be due to a lot of factors, however, including quality of coaches, other opportunities (such as newly introduced sports like lacrosse), cost, conflicts with other school activities and so forth. These stats represent HS softball, not rec or travel ball participation.
FWIW - The link was not in the original post. It was added days later and several hours after my post. In the absence of meaningful analysis I think I will stay with the finger in the wind.
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