Why my DD will always wear a mask when pitching.....

[shockcoach]

I will remind us all what a D1 coach told a bunch of campers:
"Leave you masks in your bags - we will teach the right way to field a ball......."

The message was taken as "you use a mask and you have no place on my team."

I am not trying to tar & feather any one coach I am just representing the anti-mask sentiment out there.

And to paraphrase what Heather Tarr, UW Husky coach said, "I could care less what they wear as long as they can field their position."

 

[Comp]

Masks are mandated for pitchers playing HS ball in California beginning this year. Many NPF players (you know, the few college players who were REALLY good) wear the masks in the infield now trying to be good role models.

I have been all over the CIF website and there is absolutely no mention of defensive facemasks. I just asked a Northern CA umpire whos kick off meeting was last night and he also said there is no such rule. Doing a google search I have come up with some comments back in 2011 about it supposedly being mandatory for the 2012 season, but this was false also. As far as I have been able to determine there is no such rule in CA.

 

[starsnuffer]

I have been all over the CIF website and there is absolutely no mention of defensive facemasks. I just asked a Northern CA umpire whos kick off meeting was last night and he also said there is no such rule. Doing a google search I have come up with some comments back in 2011 about it supposedly being mandatory for the 2012 season, but this was false also. As far as I have been able to determine there is no such rule in CA.

This thread has kicked off the same research on my part and I've found the same thing. For some reason this rumor was spread around all the schools in the district we play in but no such rule exists.

I apologize for creating confusion here. Masks are not required for California HS play.

-W

 

[FrozenRope]

I am not saying defensive drills should not be part of any pitchers practice, however they are not 100%. I have used them with my DD and the biggest deference is the number of stops she makes for outs.

But for anyone to say drills are "the" solution are they same type of people who say you don't need a seat belt just better driving skills.

The throat argument is weak. Eyesight is one of the most important senses. If not the most. A brain injury is so much worse than a busted knee cap. The distance from the either hand after a pitch is closer for the throat than the eye socket. Teeth do not grow back.

You missed the point. My argument is DO BOTH!! Use protective gear. Wear a mask. BUT dont think that sending her out ther with a mask makes her bullet proof. As for the throat argument, do you care whether or not you can see if you can't breathe because your windpipe is crushed? Why do you think it's mandatory for a catchers facemask to have a throat guard? It CAN happen, and it's a much more grim scenario than a black eye or a broken nose...or for the sake of your argument, a lost tooth. C'mon. I'm just making a point that you can't possible protect every critical part of a players body with gear. You CAN however teach her to react so SHE can protect HERSELF. I REPEAT!!! I am not against protective gear. I'm FOR teaching how to react defensively ON TOP OF protective gear.

I'll use your argument against you. Do you hand your kid the keys to your car and tell her to wear her seatbelt without practicing how to drive defensively?

 

[EP Dad]

I will remind us all what a D1 coach told a bunch of campers:
"Leave you masks in your bags - we will teach the right way to field a ball......."

The message was taken as "you use a mask and you have no place on my team."

What self respecting human being would ever play for someone like that?

 

[Lozza]

The throat argument is weak. Eyesight is one of the most important senses. If not the most. A brain injury is so much worse than a busted knee cap. The distance from the either hand after a pitch is closer for the throat than the eye socket. Teeth do not grow back.

I'm old enough to remember the catcher/umpire face masks that didn't have throat guards. I'm also old enough to remember watching my grandfather cop a ball to the throat and stop breathing (he was OK) Freak accidents happen.

I play top players in my country. I guarantee that I hang the ball over the middle more than your daughters do. I have only had one ball come close to hitting me (and its true, if its in danger of hitting you, you don't see the ball) and one incident where a batter was hitting line drives closer and closer to me. (Told her afterwards was glad the game was over as I think the next one was going to hit me. I was terrified for the simple reason my contacts were playing up and couldn't even see the signals getting called. Only pitcher there that night so no choice but to keep going)