So, I was walking through the park after practice, and the 10u rec league was playing some games, and I saw this....

[schwabach]

These actually make a lot more sense than traditional facemasks. At least these would stand a chance at getting NOCSAE certified. My biggest issue with the current masks is the false sense of security. Kids get their bell rung from a line drive and coaches/parents think they’re ok since they had a mask on and let them back on the field without following concussion protocols.

These also prove my point that masks mandaters don’t mean a word of it when they say safety equipment is available, why not use it. If they were sincere all the kids would be wearing these.

Not necessarily. It's kind of a balancing act. The current pitchers masks (e.g. RipIt) offer a lot of protection. How many additional injuries would be prevented by having pitchers wear the mask pictured at the top of this discussion? If RipIt makes 99% of batted ball to face contact non-serious, then why bother with more than that? Batted ball to face situations aren't all that common to begin with.

 

[SMS90]

At least they require they wear masks. Here the only rec league anymore is a "Intro to Competitive league". What that means is you get about three or four teams of girls who just want to play rec ball, and one competitive team wanting to play during the week between weekend tournaments. And this is the same from 8U to 14U. So you have girls with no experience, little skill, without masks playing girls way more skilled and experienced wearing masks. I just hope no one gets hurt, and that losing like 18-0 doesn't ruin the taste of softball for the few rec girls who maybe wanted to move on.

 

[MNDad]

Not necessarily. It's kind of a balancing act. The current pitchers masks (e.g. RipIt) offer a lot of protection. How many additional injuries would be prevented by having pitchers wear the mask pictured at the top of this discussion? If RipIt makes 99% of batted ball to face contact non-serious, then why bother with more than that? Batted ball to face situations aren't all that common to begin with.

I agree with you. Trouble with masks is nobody knows what percentage of injuries they prevent. Most often they’re glancing blows that wouldn’t produce serious injury with or without one. Just like we don’t know how many masks this helmet style would prevent we don’t know how many the Rip-Its prevent either.

i’m all for younger kids wearing masks. I just get tired of the zealots questioning the parenting of those of us who let our kids decide.

 

[schwabach]

I am all for letter older girls make their own choices. In any case, for better or for worse, court cases will guide policy. If I were running a rec program and was liable for injuries, I think I would insist that pitchers and, maybe, infielders wear masks.

 

[Strike2]

I agree with you. Trouble with masks is nobody knows what percentage of injuries they prevent. Most often they’re glancing blows that wouldn’t produce serious injury with or without one. Just like we don’t know how many masks this helmet style would prevent we don’t know how many the Rip-Its prevent either.

A "glancing blow" may not be serious, but it can easily take a player out of the game and even send them to the emergency room. DD has worn one for years, and it has fully proved its worth. It saved her from significant, if not serious, injury on only one occasion during a game. However, I can't count the bad hops to the face during fielding practice that were deflected by that thing since 12U. As we don't always practice on finely manicured infields, it allows me to firmly hit grounders and liners with far less concern about her being injured.

Personally, I think that anyone who pitches or plays 3B is an idiot for not wearing one, but I'm also not into mandating things.

 

[MNDad]

A "glancing blow" may not be serious, but it can easily take a player out of the game and even send them to the emergency room. DD has worn one for years, and it has fully proved its worth. It saved her from significant, if not serious, injury on only one occasion during a game. However, I can't count the bad hops to the face during fielding practice that were deflected by that thing since 12U. As we don't always practice on finely manicured infields, it allows me to firmly hit grounders and liners with far less concern about her being injured.

Personally, I think that anyone who pitches or plays 3B is an idiot for not wearing one, but I'm also not into mandating things.

We’ve had the idiot conversation before. Lol.

I made mine wear one in 12U. That age and younger makes sense to me. I also wouldn’t have a problem with them in HS. That’s the only place you might have a 7th grade rec pitcher facing a senior D1 commit. I just think if safety is the reason people want them mandated this helmet style would make a lot more sense. Otherwise let families decide.

 

[Schmick's Gloves]

Who remembers those t-shirt start up travel ball teams in 10u and 12u where all the outfielders had rip it masks on?

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[CoachJD]

Don't over analyze anything you see at rec. I have a girl on 8u rec that her parents didn't even know she was left handed until I told them she throws better left handed. I'm not going to win any parent of the year awards, but at least I know if my kid is right or left handed.

Hey, we figured this out with one of our 10u players this year. It took 2-3 throws for us to tell her to try it right handed, and while not good, was clearly better.

 

[Dabears17]

Who remembers those t-shirt start up travel ball teams in 10u and 12u where all the outfielders had rip it masks on?

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Only time I've seen a player in a 10u travel game get hurt by a hit ball she was playing 10 feet off the dirt in LF and the ball took a bad bounce off a bad lip on the edge of infield and broke her nose.

My DD wore her mask in the outfield until she was done with 12u because her first 10u practice she wasn't used to the hard ball and the extra weight tipped it off the edge of her glove and gave her a bloody nose.

My DD's HS team has nailed me in the head twice with TCB whiffles and I've had several near misses- maybe I need to order one of those SP helmet/masks for me!

 

[MikeP]

Don't over analyze anything you see at rec. I have a girl on 8u rec that her parents didn't even know she was left handed until I told them she throws better left handed. I'm not going to win any parent of the year awards, but at least I know if my kid is right or left handed.

I had a girl show up to our first 10u rec practice who's mom informed me she had a brand new, left handed glove because they had recently discovered she was actually left handed! Unfortunately she wasn't left or right handed in regards to softball