Mandatory Face Masks

[Sparky Guy]

Lots of things would make a bigger impression on the girl, but to take her bat away in the middle of an at bat and humiliate her in front of everyone is totally out of bounds, over the top, and unacceptable. In my opinion only, of course.

My DD played in the Sharks program for 4 years. What people think they see and hear is not always what's going on. Do you think every college coach talks nicely to their players? Far from it.

When my DD hit college as a freshman there was nothing a coach, opposing fan, opposing team or teammate could do to faze her on the field. She was prepared both mentally and physically. The hardest part about college softball is all the off the field things that go along with it. Many kids are not ready for the grind. Mine was.

 

[chinamigarden]

And what if the coach had a hit and run on and the runner got thrown out on the basepath. Would you still want her looking at the first pitch???

Answer me this. What would make a bigger impression on player? Telling them they should have swung/bunted the first pitch or take the bat away from her for the rest of the at bat? I guarantee you the next time that girl was told to bunt, swing, cover swing or anything else she did it.

I will conceed the point of the hit and run. But embarrassing a player in front of 2 teams and fans is not a coaching tactic I approve of

 

[Jackel2168]

Last time I checked there were more kids killed taking a line drive to the chest then killed by taking a line drive to the face. All safety equipment is better off if people are given the choice. Once you take the choice away you are telling people that this is the only way to do it. I am not saying do not wear your masks, that is your choice, just like it is her choice to not wear one. To say that you are wrong or irresponsible for not wearing one or forcing someone else to wear one is wrong. Much like helmets for bikes, I don't wear one, my DD doesn't wear one. Same things with helmets for motorcycles, some people like them, some people don't, but to make it mandatory is stupid.

 

[softballphreak]

Last time I checked there were more kids killed taking a line drive to the chest then killed by taking a line drive to the face. All safety equipment is better off if people are given the choice. Once you take the choice away you are telling people that this is the only way to do it. I am not saying do not wear your masks, that is your choice, just like it is her choice to not wear one. To say that you are wrong or irresponsible for not wearing one or forcing someone else to wear one is wrong. Much like helmets for bikes, I don't wear one, my DD doesn't wear one. Same things with helmets for motorcycles, some people like them, some people don't, but to make it mandatory is stupid.

Maybe they make motorcycle helmets mandatory because some people are stupid. Just saying.

What I have noticed is that players who have been hit in the face wish they had been wearing one.

I really love it when a player complains that their parents make them wear a mask. It gives me the opportunity to praise the parents and promote the mask to the other players.

I love to hear coaches who stand behind a screen to pitch talk about players shouldn't need a mask.

 

[justanotherguy]

First time poster here, been lurking a while. Just throwing out my useless pennies. My daughter plays travel and rec baseball, and has just started playing rec softball. I've got to say, it's pretty eye opening. We, as a society, sure as heck still do treat girls and boys differently. Being forced to wear a mask at bat was almost enough to make my daughter continue saying no to softball. Even after 3 games, she still hates it. I don't quite understand why anyone would be forced to wear a mask. If the parent and child don't want to, that's their choice. My daughter has had a busted nose and taken a bad hop straight off the forehead. She was back to playing the next inning. Doesn't make her want to wear a mask anymore or any less. Again, simply stating that the CHOICE should be allowed. I won't fault anyone for wearing or wanting to wear a face mask.

As far as head injuries vs chest injuries, the head will almost always take far less impact vs the chest. The head is much lighter and moves, deflecting some of the force. With the chest, almost all of the energy of the ball is directly transferred into the chest. This is why a direct chest impact is so much more dangerous. Usually when you see a ball hit off a person's head, the ball keeps going, just diverted in a different direction. When you see a ball hit a person's torso, the ball usually stops and lands right at the player's feet. That's the really scary stuff. My daughter DOES wear an under armor heart guard shirt at all times. Some risks I'm ok taking, some I'm not. Again, should be choice.

 

[chinamigarden]

This is why organizations are taking away person responsibility, because too many people claim to want to make decisions for themselves right up until something goes wrong.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-17/handstands-balcony-fall-victim-sues/4635236

 

[CoogansBluff]

All safety equipment is better off if people are given the choice.

How about batting helmets and catchers gear?

 

[Wheels]

How about batting helmets and catchers gear?

I can't help but wonder if this same type of argument went on way back when they mandated batting helmets and catchers gear?

Batting helmet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Well, catcher's gear has been required since before 1964, so I can't remember, but the equipment used was minimal and small. It has evolved into something that looks like it is bullet proof.

And yes, we hated batting helmets and they weren't required until approximately, 1990.

Around my group of students, it isn't so much that the girls won't wear a face mask, it is the parents won't spend the $50.00. When I put my mask on, I hear the girls asking their parents for a mask, week after week and practice after practice.

I am thinking of giving them away, if I can find a way to finance it.

 

[sleepwalker]

Mandatory Face Masks
My TB team is playing a team somewhat in the area on Saturday. My DD does not wear a face mask and generally plays SS/CF. She is aware of the dangers, shown her all the information and risks but she does not like wearing the face masks at all. Where we are playing on Saturday requires ALL players to wear a mask or a mouth guard. You must wear them at ALL times. We are at the 14U level for TB so I can understand requesting that your pitcher and corners wear a mask/guard, but all the players, even the outfielders, seems a bit extreme. Now here is the funny part, if you show up and do not have a mouth guard or face mask, they sell them there. I understand that face masks are for safety and I understand the risk, but much like red light cameras this seems to be an idea about safety and turned into making money. Does that make sense or am I just being over protective of DD?

Jackel,

If you can, get a copy of the facemask/mouth guard tournament rules and post them on this board. I'd be curious to see them.

I'd be curious to see what the penalty is for a player that purposely removes their facemask or mouthguard while on the playing surface. I'd be curious to see if the catcher is ejected from the game for removing her mask to catch a pop fly.

What happens to the girls who remove their mouth pieces to talk? I don't think that there is a way to attach those mouth pieces. Remember the days before ASA required chin straps on helmets? Girls just couldn't keep those things on. The girls were running so fast that they just flew off of their heads. LOL