Coach letting dd practice without gear. Irresponsible?

[8utbmom]

Today my 9 yo dd's coach let her practice without her catchers gear on and he pitched one to her and pegged her in the upper abdomen/chest. She fell to the ground and it knocked the wind out of her. I'm fuming because I know this injury could have been prevented, and I keep thinking about the what ifs. Is this a normal thing to do...practice without gear, I mean? He hasn't even bothered to contact me to tell me about the incident, nor did he mention it to my husband when he picked her up. I feel like he was totally irresponsible and I want to raise some hell with him and the organization, but maybe that is over the top? Tell me how to handle this, please!

 

[NorthMS]

Sleep on it would be #1. I was a catcher and warmed up pitchers all the time without gear. It wasn't smart.
2 things bother me the most on this. 1, the coach should have notified your husband when he picked DD up. 2, the coach was the one throwing to DD.

 

[rachelsdad]

Most of the organizations I have umped, coached, and parented for, have it in their associations rules that a player cannot warm up a pitcher w/o the protective gear. If yours doesn't I would surely ask them why not, might save some poor child some pain and a parent on dental expenses. It is not over the top to feel something is wrong when your your child's coach is keeping something from you.

 

[Lozza]

Yes sleep on it but if I were in your shoes I would be FURIOUS. There is never any excuse for a junior catcher to be squatting without gear on. Never. I occasionally pitch to my catcher without gear but she's 27 and it's her choice. I have stopped juniors that aren't in my team from squatting without gear on before. It's a duty of care issue b

I would be asking for an apology and a promise that she will never be catching without gear again. I would tell your daughter the same but she's young. I would also be at every training from now on. By not telling you he's made the issue worse.

I'm actully sitting here fuming on your behalf. That is so inexcusable!

 

[sluggers]

I want to raise some hell with him and the organization, but maybe that is over the top

"Over the top" is complaining because your DD doesn't get playing time or didn't get the same flavor Popsicle as the coach's DD.

Complaining when your DD's safety is at risk is required. This bozo of a coach needs to be, at a minimum, reprimanded.

As Lozza pointed out, it is normal for adults to catch pitchers with only a mask. But, it is stupid and dangerous to let a 9YOA child do it.

 

[Lozza]

I'm telling her to sleep on it because if it was me I'd be wanting to commit violence.

 

[8utbmom]

Thank you everyone! I wrote him a strongly worded email and bcc the head of our travel ball organization. My daughter has only been catching for a few months...she is WAY too inexperienced for him to practice her like that.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I'm still trying to figure out why he was pitching to her.

 

[8utbmom]

8u is coach pitch here. 10u and up is kid pitch. Did I mention that her coach is at least 6'4, 230 and an athlete as well. I can't quit thinking about what might have happened.

 

[andyh64000]

was she wearing a mask but no other gear? If so this is very common practice when warming up pitchers (even coaches).