Catcher's removing her helmet- driving me crazy!

[Rolling Hard]

Really good fitted helmet and mask combo would more likely injure a catcher's neck trying to rip it off fast.

Thinking it through it would probably have to be slightly loose to be able to do so without complication.

OK, I will ask the obvious question. Were you taught as a catcher to take your mask off?

 

[radness]

OK, I will ask the obvious question. Were you taught as a catcher to take your mask off?

Never wore a catching helmet. Mask only.

My catching mask was a flying projectile that look like a battle weapon.

That came off immediately so fast I could kill flies with it.

The only thing I was ever taught in Catching was from a pitching instructor Bill Owens he showed me framing by sticking his arm out like a stop sign and shaving the wrist top sides and underneath. That and he said catcher glove frames the pitch and body frames the plate.

Everything else was my own development and my own individual creativity determination and resiliency. Including my Get RAD catching workout.
I develop that and did that myself when I was younger.

Never had a coach ever instruct me on catching on any teams I've played on. Ever!

Add, and had the extraordinary pleasure of being able to call pitches every game i was behind the plate!

~Turbo

 

[Northball]

Hmmm? Potentially there are more possibilities collisions at first and second base just because runners reach there more often.

At home there may be a better application of Catcher staying out of obstructing the play/collision by having the foul line to determine where to stand.

I think the more violent collisions happen at first on a ground ball with an errant throw and home since the runner can go all out and not worry about stopping at the base.

 

[radness]

Would have to look at statistics of how many times Runners are at each of the bases/plate to consider how many opportunities for Collision there could be.

One time Got leveled by a runner rounding third one time full on body collision laid me out concussion Style. Neither of us were wearing a helmet.
______________________________


Compelled to share this about Bill Owens he was a great contributor to our softball community. Passed away a few years ago.

Bill Owens pitching instructor was part of the original travel ball development of girls fastpitch in Southern California region. Gracious humble person who was also an outstanding pitching instructor. He was part of the coaching staff of the original BatBuster's. Helped numerous pitchers on their journey to pitch in college. Where some of those were National Champions.

Caught many pitchers at his lessons.
Those pitchers developing their spins, speeds and locations...
Truly help me as a catcher develop my catching 'technical in the technique' and learn about pitching mechanics to help in feedback with pitching teammates.

During games recognizing the individual nuances be able to offer subtle kind reminders, sometimes when asked and sometimes when needed.

 

[S Spiff]

Just a catcher's dad, but I generally agree that a catcher shouldn't remove a mask after every time the ball is struck. There have been plenty of times that I was glad DD was wearing a helmet. That includes one collision at the plate that resulted in her helmet hitting the backstop on the fly. That could have been bad.

But, it's also possible to go too far the other way. I was thinking about this thread watching her play this weekend. Twice she caught pop-ups directly behind home plate near the backstop on the move looking up with her back to the plate. No other fielders had a chance at either ball. Both times, the helmet was gone as she rose from her crouch and turned. It took no time. And both times the forehead padding of her appropriately sized hockey-style helmet would have cut into her vision as she searched for the ball coming directly over her head from behind. I can't see how removing the helmet was the wrong thing there.

Obviously, catchers have to make a decision super fast. Perhaps the right idea is to keep it on if the play is in front of you and strip it if you have to turn around and search.

 

[radness]

Just a catcher's dad, but I generally agree that a catcher shouldn't remove a mask after every time the ball is struck. There have been plenty of times that I was glad DD was wearing a helmet. That includes one collision at the plate that resulted in her helmet hitting the backstop on the fly. That could have been bad.

But, it's also possible to go too far the other way. I was thinking about this thread watching her play this weekend. Twice she caught pop-ups directly behind home plate near the backstop on the move looking up with her back to the plate. No other fielders had a chance at either ball. Both times, the helmet was gone as she rose from her crouch and turned. It took no time. And both times the forehead padding of her appropriately sized hockey-style helmet would have cut into her vision as she searched for the ball coming directly over her head from behind. I can't see how removing the helmet was the wrong thing there.

Obviously, catchers have to make a decision super fast. Perhaps the right idea is to keep it on if the play is in front of you and strip it if you have to turn around and search.

✔

Nice read!
Well said!

 

[sbmom19]

My DD was a catcher. She guest played for a team at a big tournament in a nearby state the summer between her junior and senior year and the coach continued to yell at her to remove her helmet (she wasn't missing pop ups or anything so I am not sure why it even became an issue) - until she finally talked to him between innings and told explained to him that she hadn't done that since she was in 12U. He got mad at her and at one point walked over to me and said that she was "uncoachable". I explained to him that she worked with a D1 catcher and that she was absolutely coachable - but that taking off her helmet wasted valuable seconds and no college catchers removed their helmets. He walked away shaking his head but left her alone about it after that.

 

[schwabach]

My DD was a catcher. She guest played for a team at a big tournament in a nearby state the summer between her junior and senior year and the coach continued to yell at her to remove her helmet (she wasn't missing pop ups or anything so I am not sure why it even became an issue) - until she finally talked to him between innings and told explained to him that she hadn't done that since she was in 12U. He got mad at her and at one point walked over to me and said that she was "uncoachable". I explained to him that she worked with a D1 catcher and that she was absolutely coachable - but that taking off her helmet wasted valuable seconds and no college catchers removed their helmets. He walked away shaking his head but left her alone about it after that.

Good for your daughter. As I read this, I was hoping to read that she told the coach to catch for himself and that she was out of here.

 

[Dabears17]

That Said to only consider the catcher's mask think is irrelevant.
Individual preference prevails.

I think you are being intentionally obtuse .

I am not saying that catchers who use the old school mask should leave it on, I am saying I see no advantage, and downsides, to taking off the helmet style. Interestingly, there are rules saying a catcher must wear safety equipment, but there is no penalty for taking it off, while there can be a penalty for taking off a batter's helmet on the field of play, before entering the dugout. Should the rule equally apply to both offense and defense?

 

[radness]

I think you are being intentionally obtuse .

I am not saying that catchers who use the old school mask should leave it on, I am saying I see no advantage, and downsides, to taking off the helmet style. Interestingly, there are rules saying a catcher must wear safety equipment, but there is no penalty for taking it off, while there can be a penalty for taking off a batter's helmet on the field of play, before entering the dugout. Should the rule equally apply to both offense and defense?

A rule could be implemented that everybody must leave all safety equipment on at all times. That could include batters having to wear EvoShield mandatorily. Including defensive mandatory masks.

That Said to only consider the catcher's mask think is irrelevant.
Individual preference prevails.