Mandatory Face Masks

[JAD]

We have never played in a tournament that required facemasks or mouth guards and while I am a HUGE advocate for pitchers and 3B wearing facemasks, I would not register my team up for a tournament that mandated them for all players.

 

[chinamigarden]

Because of safety we are implementing the following safety rule at ***** this year:

All defensive players must wear a face- mask, or mouth guard while playing or warming up at any of our games. This excludes catchers who already have a face- mask on their helmet on their helmet.
If your player does not have either a mouth guard or face-mask they will be available for purchase at the concession stand. Failure to comply with this rule will stop the action when discovered, and the player(s) must get one and use it. Failure to comply after this first warning will result in the player(s) being disqualified for the remainder of the game.
This is being implemented to proactively improve player safety.
This rule applies to all activities at ***** as a safety and liability issue.

How exactly is that a liability issue? Every team that has players sign up must, A, have their own insurance per the alphabet organizations, and B, every team has a waiver everyone signs when you sign up for a team.

People still sue even if they have signed a waiver. People still sue even if they have insurance, people still sue even if they know that they should have done something to protect themselves. Actually I am surprised this is the first time I have heard of something like this.

 

[chinamigarden]

This organization produces good players but the coaches are brutal. One coach took the bat out of a girls hands when she didn't swing at the 1st pitch and made her stay in the box without a bat. She struckout and walked off the field. Pull out or buy a mask is what I say. After all if your playing ball in April in IL consider yourself lucky. Good luck in your decision what ever it may be. By the way the fields are some of the best in the area.

the coach took the bat away from the girl? I would run from that team, I don't care how many good players come from his team. If a kid doesn't like the first pitch she shouldn't swing at it. Ever, I want my batters being picky with no strikes on them.

 

[chinamigarden]

The other angle to hit this is that they are requiring you to wear non-certified "safety" equipment. There is not a facemask out there that has a NOCSAE certification. I would think that this would put the "owner" at more risk of liability than it would had they not required anything.

Personally, my own DD wears a mask when pitching or playing the corners. She always wears a mouthpiece, because of the $$$ I have put into her braces. However, if there were a requirement to wear a mask, I would be contacting the city/county/state attorney (whoever is in charge) and ask them why they are requiring non-tested/certified safety equipment. If you're gonna require it, then it had better be tested.

So why do you have your dd wear non certified "safety" gear? It sounds to me like a death trap due to the fact that no one tests such things? How do you know it even works, maybe its made from asbestos?

 

[teammom2]

In response to Jackel,

In my opinion, head and face injuries are different than leg and knee injuries. Preventing concussions and broken teeth trumps other injuries that are somewhat impossible to prevent. I accept that playing comes with the risk of injury. You brought up the stats on line drive injuries. I guess some are OK with risking being part of that "low" risk. I'd rather not risk it with my infield/pitching daughters. If I ever had to see my girls with blood streaming down their faces knowing I could have lessened the impact--I don't know I would ever get that image out of my head.

 

[MTR]

People still sue even if they have signed a waiver. People still sue even if they have insurance, people still sue even if they know that they should have done something to protect themselves. Actually I am surprised this is the first time I have heard of something like this.

The problem with relying on a waiver is that the individual signing it does not have the authority to waive action against anyone.

 

[Mylil32]

Well since you don't make her wear a facemask, I'd say your definitely NOT over protective.

Mine never touches the field without it, but I wouldn't play anywhere that forced it on everyone.

 

[mogsoftball]

Personally, my own DD wears a mask when pitching or playing the corners. She always wears a mouthpiece, because of the $$$ I have put into her braces. However, if there were a requirement to wear a mask, I would be contacting the city/county/state attorney (whoever is in charge) and ask them why they are requiring non-tested/certified safety equipment. If you're gonna require it, then it had better be tested.

You would contact the state attorney to ask why a private organization using privately owned facilities have developed their own safety standards?

 

[Jackel2168]

Again, I have conceded that face masks are not a bad idea, but should be a choice. How many people here have outfielders? Outfielders as a rule of thumb do not have masks. Now this place hosts a few qualifiers at the different age levels. If this was about safety they would state they strongly recommend that everyone, especially corners and pitchers, wear a mask. Now an outfielder who has probably not worn a mask at the older ages, is forced to pay for a mask to keep playing. If your outfielder is wearing a mask, it gives off the appearance of incompetence. You are 160-180 feet away from the point of contact and outside of line drives, that if they can hit it that hard that far and that level, God bless them, the actual distance traveled is farther and you need a mask to keep yourself safe. That just makes you look like a weak outfielder. To demand that EVERYONE wear one, even in warm ups, and then sell them there is a money grab. A few people have pointed out their place their rules and I get that, but remember that when everyone complained about Augusta or when the Irish need not apply signs were up, but hey, their place, their rules.

 

[smddad]

You would contact the state attorney to ask why a private organization using privately owned facilities have developed their own safety standards?

No. I didn't realize it was a private field at the time of that post.