Metal cleats

[Lozza]

I had a horrific injury in T-ball (U10s) where the girl slid into me with her cleats up and tore the skin straight off my leg. My mum says she's never heard louder screams or seen that much blood. That was with rubber! (thankfully I don't remember it)

I've never played with metal cleats. Love the sound of them though.

 

[fivepotsogold]

I played High School fastpitch in the late 70's ... no metal cleats... they were rubber ..
I did have PF Flyers ... for BB .. lol

I have gone to a bunch of 16 U and High School games and have not seen metal cleats on a single girl.

LL may allow metal cleats ... but LL around here is sneakers and rubber cleats ..

Agree with Lozza ... LOVE the sound of them too!

 

[SBFAMILY]

Almost all our high school girls wear metal. Most of the travel ball players do when they are allowed to. Like anything else you have to learn to use them like any tool. They have some major advantages on wet grass and the clay fields we play on in terms of grip. My dd is a runner and she loves them.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I think we had PF Fliers. But most wanted Red Ball Jets or Converse, not the high tops, but the suede ones.

I don't know when ASA removed steel cleats from the younger girls, but the only mishaps that I can remember, were if you were cluttsy enough to snag your sock, down at the ankle.

Girls normally aren't as clumsy as boys and boys use metal at young ages.

 

[SBFAMILY]

The only injury I have seen since we went to metal in high school, was kids running into the Dugout trying to stop and slidding and landing on the rear! Hard to stop on concrete.

 

[amanda_cake]

Not at all, guys. Metal is all we had, back in the day. I never played in rubber cleats.

Amy, you're showing your age.

I can't imagine a 10U girl in metal cleats. Some of those girls can barely walk in tennis shoes, never mind run in metal cleats without hurting themselves.

Growing up with plastic cleats, then given the option to wear metal at the HS level, I have opted not to. Our Varsity roster of 15 had one girl with metal cleats... she was signed to a college and had switched because she would have to wear them there, she had been told. We didn't grow up to them, we aren't used to them, and I'm afraid of "cleating myself" because I'm sure it would happen.

 

[changeupskill]

Hi all. I've never understood the metal vs plastic cleats thing. Why DO boys get to wear them in baseball at much younger ages? I have looked and studied both types of cleats. Metal cleats, the corners of each cleat is smooth and actually rounded. Plastic molded cleats have pointier (sp?) edges until they are quite worn. My daughter is eligible as a second year 14U, but plays at the 18A level and every girl wears the metal cleats just because its a right of passage when they get to the 16s. My daughter is a pitcher, catcher and 3rd base and cannot tell ANY differance between them. Even when she's been cleated, both still hurt and have ripped her pants legs occasionally. When cleated with plastic, there wasn't any break away pieces that made it hurt less. Even in the outfield grass, it really seems that a cleat is a cleat. She carries two pair of cleats (both type) to change when they get sweaty or wet in rain etc, but cannot tell if either is better. When sliding, why does it seem like an acccident waiting to happen? Wouldn't that be true with either type of cleat? If any cleat is on the ground, either could roll the ankle or flip them over onto their face for a heck of a tumble. Why are there cleat restrictions anyway? Just a way to micromanage, or just been a knee-jerk action years ago? Just wondering.

 

[MTR]

but I do remember that boys' baseball was rife with injuries for SS and second.

Which is why I wore soccer shin guards when playing the middle.

Back to topic, whether people want to admit this or not, there is a difference between the male and female anatomy. When this was raised a few years ago about NFHS decision, people including myself were branded sexist for suggesting such a thing.

When talking to a rep who has an NCAA connection at ASA convention, I asked if the NCAA showed any opinion on legalizing the leap in the college game.

The response surprised me. She noted that it would obviously be included on the coaches' survey, but there is an obvious lack of data collected or study to determine whether there would be a negative physical effect such a mechanics change would have on the pitchers. She specifically noted that while the men presently allow a leap, the female anatomy is not the same, so the effect may not be the same.

I was pleasantly surprised with the candid response and jokingly reminded her about using gender as a pivotal point after all the crap that occurred when that was raised in the legalizing of metal spike in high school. She just flashed a big grin.

 

[StacieM]

10's yikes - I hope not.

16's here

For pitchers...if a pitcher is going to pitch in metals, she must practice in metals. I know that sounds basic, but I've seen a pitcher practice in molded cleats and them try to pitch in metals during a game. Needless to say, did not go well.

I also believe that it's ideal that a player be in good physical shape with good core strength if they are going to use metals. Metals allow you to put more pressure on certain parts of your body because they don't "give/slide" as much as molded cleats. If your core isn't strong and your stabilizer muscles are weak, it's more likely for a sprain (or worse) to occur.

Also - the being able to slide properly thing is important too.