DD's district's regulations require softball catcher use a NOCSAE certified chest protector. It seems likely she is using a baseball catcher's gear, though I haven't confirmed it yet. On the varsity level could there be any serious problems with a softball catcher using a baseball catcher's chest protector?
Are there any red flags for a varsity catcher using a baseball catcher's chest protector.
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As long as it fits it should be fine. Boys usually have groin protector but you can snap it up or remove it. I have it snapped up on my son's since he always has a cup in.
What kind of red flags would there be? My DD uses a Allstar System 7 Axis chest protector. Fits just fine. It’s NOCSAE certified too. She’s never once complained of it not fitting properly or was uncomfortable.
Didn't know if the top of the protector by the collarbone might fit differently on a girl than the way it was intended.
If there isn't any potential problems then its all good.
Hers is snug. It fits up against her perfectly. Personally I don’t think you’ll have any issues as long as you get the size right. I think you’ll be all good.
So far the district purchased three sets of gear and none of them fit her. Granted she is shorter than average.
- Oct 8, 2020
- 15
- 13
Hi all,
Jumping into this thread . . .
My name is Johanna, and I am the Director of Fastpitch at All-Star Sporting Goods - a family-owned sporting goods company based in the Boston area.
There has been a lot of confusion around the NOCSAE certified chest protector in recent years - What does it mean to be certified? Who has to wear a certified chest protector? Does the standard apply to females/fastpitch? These are all legitimate questions, and this is the perfect opportunity for you to hear directly from us as a manufacturer.
As the first brand in the industry to have chest protectors certified to the NOCSAE standard for protection against commotio cordis (CC), All-Star has been following the science behind this standard since the first proposal in 2016. Commotio Cordis is an extremely rare, yet serious, condition that occurs when a very specific amount of force is applied to the heart during a very small window of time in the heart’s natural cycle. The #1 most effective way to treat this condition when it occurs is rapid application of an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) and survival rates from commotio cordis have increased significantly with the increased availability of AED’s and increased public awareness.
It is important to note that commotio cordis occurs predominantly in pre to early teen males and the recorded incidents of CC in females are very, very low. In one report of 128 reported case studies of CC, 95% of the cases were males. As such, the existing NOCSAE standard for chest protectors was developed only for the sports of lacrosse and baseball and there is no defined test method using softballs as projectiles or for the sport of fastpitch softball. As noted above, commotio cordis is extremely rare and the incidence rate in females is a small percentage of this small group, therefore the risk level was deemed to be low enough that no standard was warranted. At this time, no fastpitch organizations are requiring use of a certified chest protector. Furthermore, the NCAA which governs collegiate athletics and the NFHS which governs high school sports are only requiring certified chest protectors for the sport of baseball.
For further information about commotio cordis and the role that AED’s play in treatment, we recommend the Louis J. Acompora Foundation (la12.org). For further information about the NOCSAE standards for all sports safety equipment or for questions specific to the standards for chest protectors, we recommend NOCSAE’s website, which is www.nocsae.org, or contacting the Director of NOCSAE, Mike Oliver or Technical Director, David Halstead. Their contact information is available on the NOCSAE website.
I hope that this information is helpful as you look to ensure that your daughter is properly protected behind the plate!
All my best,
Johanna
Jumping into this thread . . .
My name is Johanna, and I am the Director of Fastpitch at All-Star Sporting Goods - a family-owned sporting goods company based in the Boston area.
There has been a lot of confusion around the NOCSAE certified chest protector in recent years - What does it mean to be certified? Who has to wear a certified chest protector? Does the standard apply to females/fastpitch? These are all legitimate questions, and this is the perfect opportunity for you to hear directly from us as a manufacturer.
As the first brand in the industry to have chest protectors certified to the NOCSAE standard for protection against commotio cordis (CC), All-Star has been following the science behind this standard since the first proposal in 2016. Commotio Cordis is an extremely rare, yet serious, condition that occurs when a very specific amount of force is applied to the heart during a very small window of time in the heart’s natural cycle. The #1 most effective way to treat this condition when it occurs is rapid application of an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) and survival rates from commotio cordis have increased significantly with the increased availability of AED’s and increased public awareness.
It is important to note that commotio cordis occurs predominantly in pre to early teen males and the recorded incidents of CC in females are very, very low. In one report of 128 reported case studies of CC, 95% of the cases were males. As such, the existing NOCSAE standard for chest protectors was developed only for the sports of lacrosse and baseball and there is no defined test method using softballs as projectiles or for the sport of fastpitch softball. As noted above, commotio cordis is extremely rare and the incidence rate in females is a small percentage of this small group, therefore the risk level was deemed to be low enough that no standard was warranted. At this time, no fastpitch organizations are requiring use of a certified chest protector. Furthermore, the NCAA which governs collegiate athletics and the NFHS which governs high school sports are only requiring certified chest protectors for the sport of baseball.
For further information about commotio cordis and the role that AED’s play in treatment, we recommend the Louis J. Acompora Foundation (la12.org). For further information about the NOCSAE standards for all sports safety equipment or for questions specific to the standards for chest protectors, we recommend NOCSAE’s website, which is www.nocsae.org, or contacting the Director of NOCSAE, Mike Oliver or Technical Director, David Halstead. Their contact information is available on the NOCSAE website.
I hope that this information is helpful as you look to ensure that your daughter is properly protected behind the plate!
All my best,
Johanna
That is what I've heard, and adds to my thoughts about the district's AD who seems not to basis his decisions on science.
Thanks.
DD has a evoshield pro-srz chest guard. The baseball version is NOCSAE certified so I was expecting the same from the softball version.
Haha, it turns out that they simply don't supply the CC chest pad with the softball version, hence it losing it's certification. To top it off, the guard still has the matching velcro tabs and they charge $10 extra for not supplying the pad!
The point is that everything is designed for baseball and "given" to fastpitch! Ever notice how the FP catchers helmet cage is not more open (distance between bars due to the larger size of the ball in FP) than the baseball one?
The kid will be fine with baseball stuff!
Haha, it turns out that they simply don't supply the CC chest pad with the softball version, hence it losing it's certification. To top it off, the guard still has the matching velcro tabs and they charge $10 extra for not supplying the pad!
The point is that everything is designed for baseball and "given" to fastpitch! Ever notice how the FP catchers helmet cage is not more open (distance between bars due to the larger size of the ball in FP) than the baseball one?
The kid will be fine with baseball stuff!
I'm interested to hear the feedback from this. We prematurely bought a full matched set of women's specific boombah catchers gear last year before covid hit due to their falsely advertised nocsae women's chest protector. We just recently received a message from boombah saying they would replace the chest protector with a men's fit nocsae approved chest protector. We bought and paid for a women's fit nocsae chest protector and are not excited about the offer. Suffice to say, any percentage of protection great or small to us is a big deal, I feel we should have got what we paid for, and not an alternative.
