Mandatory Face Masks

[softballphreak]

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

Yes, it did, when they mandated helmet cages!! And I think about it every time I see a player get hit in the helmet cage. Like the Florida slapper last year. She got hit square in the face mask while slapping. The good news is she was awarded first—and, more importantly—was able to run there on her own!

 

[softballphreak]

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.

I bought one before the start of the season and had one of the new JV players wearing it. Yesterday, I had a little smile when I heard one of the other players asking the player I loaned it to if she could use it while the one player wasn't in.

I'm going to get another one. This time it will be a Rip It.

 

[MsDinosaur]

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.

Messing up a hit and run or suicide squeeze would be a different story entirely IMO. From the way this was related, I had the impression that this happened during a normal at-bat due to the coach being displeased with the batter's pitch selection. But maybe we don't know the whole story.

 

[MsDinosaur]

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

Charge an extra $5 when girls don't have a mask? It will give parents a motive to buy masks for the girls who want one and provide you with a slush fund for the girls who can't afford one. Just a thought.

 

[MsDinosaur]

DD had a scrimmage last night and got to play 3rd for a couple of innings. After the first one, I asked her why she wasn't wearing her mask. "Oh my gosh, I forgot." When she went back out for the next inning still not wearing it, I thought, to heck with not embarrassing her, and yelled at her to GO GET HER MASK.

 

[teammom2]

Obviously a head injury is bad news. (most don't have blood or need visible blood to be bad news, BTW). Other than that, all I can say is wow--ever dealt with a torn Achilles tendon? Or torn knee ligaments? I would not attach value to other various injuries over others. And why state that some injuries can't be prevented? Why give up? Seems superficial to me to only care how it 'looks'.

Funny, I remember starting my post by stating IN MY OPINION. We can argue all day over catastrophic injuries if you want to. A mask can prevent a broken eye socket, a heart guard can protect the chest. What can be done to protect an Achilles tear?

What I meant by all type of injuries not being able to be prevented is scrapes happen during slides, bruises happen when a player gets hit by a pitch, twisted ankles happen on the base path. You offering up a special coating that prevents all injury?

Don't make your daughter wear a mask, don't make her wear any type of protective gear. It's your choice. I'll worry about my kids, you worry about yours.

 

[Jackel2168]

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

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.

Again, I am not saying that you should or should not wear a mask, that is not the argument at all. The argument is forcing everyone to wear one and saying if you do not have one you we will gladly SELL you one.

 

[sleepwalker]

Several years ago, I was driving to work and there was a bicyclist riding down the middle of the road. The speed limit was 30 mph and he wasn't peddling fast enough to maintain that speed. I was agitated because I was out of town and trying to get to a building where I had never been so that I could do some new hire training for new employees. The bicyclist was a young man, approximately 20 to 25 years old, and he was wearing a football helmet instead of bicycle helmet. I used great restraint in not honking at the young man and also refrained from using any hand gestures.

I arrived to the building where I was doing the newhire training and was waiting for the new hires to file into the building. Several minutes later, the bicyclist showed up, took off his football/bicycle helmet and introduced himself. The next day, he wore a baseball helmet in lieu of a bicycle helmet. I still smile when I type this, because some of the things you see in life just make you smile.

If I took my team to this tournament, I wouldn't force any players to buy a face-mask or a mouth guard. I would just let the girls know that a face mask was required and would let my daughter make her decision of what she wanted to wear. I would be willing to bet that most of the girls on my team would wear their batting helmets out in the field for the entire game, until it got too hot outside.

I know that we would have fun at the tournament, because every girl on the team would have a halloween face mask on when they took the field for the first time during the first game. I would act stupid, when we received our first warning and say that I didn't understand the rule when I read it. My wife would be yelling at me from the grandstands, "Hey, you are your jokes are not funny".

I am interested in reading your thoughts after playing in the tournament.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Again, I am not saying that you should or should not wear a mask, that is not the argument at all. The argument is forcing everyone to wear one and saying if you do not have one you we will gladly SELL you one.

It seems like they are getting the rule out well in advance that all teams should know about it. The fact that they will have items for purchase is a good thing as kids will be able to continue to play if they forgot a piece of their equipment required for the tournament at home. Though as someone else noted, I'm not sure how in the heck you size a new mouth guard out at a softball field.

 

[coach james]

Rip its are great. But we get the majority of the complaints with the way the elastic strapping on the back of the head is designed. It has an awkward triangle area right where the girls have a pony tail... needs redesigned IMO. I know Schutte makes one that is very similar, but I've never seen one up close.