Metal Cleats

Cleats

Why even both with Metal Cleats when as soon as you are done with School ball you play TB and they are not allowed. So just when you get use to them then you can't us them. Also I witness a 3rd base at Pfeiffer when my DD was there and she got 13 stitches in her knee to me not worth the injuries.

 

If your kid has a chance of playing college ball, you need to put them in metal now...
They make absolutely all the difference in the world...
and I won't have to teach them to run when they get here..
and they are gonna wear them when they get here...

Where would you rather let your kid learn to drive..... in the parking lot of the local High School or on the Raleigh Beltline at rush hour?

Take the training wheels off...... Let em play.

 

For anyone going to college metal should be a must. Every college coach i've talked to says their two main problems for freshmen are that noone knows how to just throw and catch anymore and that they turn ankles and knees because they aren't used to the metal cleats.

 

spikes

My DD chose ringors because she really liked thier cleats. We got them when the rule for metal spikes changed. She said they were a little more firm and less flexible. She wore them whenever we practiced together and wore blisteres on her feet until they broke in (or her feet got tougher). But she really loves them now. She says that she can plant her right foot better when she has to throw after a backhand stop. We have worked on sliding properly. Don't let your feet drag. I too played baseball all the way through and wore spikes. I played 2b and got cut up more than a few times. I just figured it was part of the game. If it was considered dirty then I knew my pitcher had my back. But if I got cut "rolling 2" I knew the runner had a job to do just like I did. Doesn't happen much in college because of the slide to the bag rule. There are risks in both. I know a player that chose to wear rubber and steped on a wet plate trying to score right after a rain delay slipped and tore an ACL. It may have still happend with spikes, but IMHO it wouldn't have. Anyway this close to the HS season-----let the games begin.

 

Well said

Very well said. We gave the girls the option to order and over half the team did and will be in spikes. In does make a huge differece in jumps, strides, explosion, etc. I do not force the pitchers to wear them as to me it is more about comfort and drive. In my experience some loved them in college, some did not. Over 75% of my pitchers always wore spikes, the others stuck with the Ringors because they liked the pitching toe better. As a player I played in both and there was no comparrison for me; spikes 110% better. We also teach our kids to cover bags properly to avoid injury and we work on it. We also teach our runners to get around tags, NOT to hurt people. Hopefully other coaches teach the same. The worst cleat injury I ever saw was at ULL; our first baseman went into 2B on a hit and run and cut the SS's leg pretty badly. She got stiches and was out a couple weeks. In my player's defense, the SS tried to block her from the bag using the knee/leg down approach. That is for a catcher if anything, not a position player on the infield. Teach the kids to react in the shoes properly and teach the infield to cover bags properly and 99% of the injuries will be avoided. The change is coming for college and it is always a good thing to be more in line with college ball. Embrace and teach properly instead of ignoring and hoping for the best.

 

Great Point!!

Good observation. Alot of times it is as much the defensive players' responsibility to avoid injury as well.

 

spikes

Mizuno metal.she thinks they make her faster.Now all we need are metal batting gloves to make her bat faster.

 

So if the metal was outlawed in college then it would be a level playing field. That would make more sense to me. Never seen any 13 stitchers rendered by the old "dirt skates". Again, I'm no college level coach and in the grand scheme of things probably don't know squat. But I just don't see the point in keeping these dinosaurs around when you consider the risks. That's my opinion, and it won't change. But then, that's why we have these forum thingys, ain't it?

 

Your right....
That's why it is such a great game..

Don't quite understand how taking away metal cleats would
"level the playing field"...

Should we also take away composite bats..??
Game would be much safer with wooden bats...

My point is, everyone gets to decide what level you want to play at...
We go from T-Ball to Coach Pitch, to Rec ball, to High School and Travel ball.. and then hopefully Collegiate...

The top level of any sport is gonna demand the best equiptment possible for their athletes...

With softball, this will include composite bats, metal cleats, as well as trained coaches to teach and supervise their use.

It's not for everyone... Play at your comfort level...
But don't tell me mine....

Is there risk involved playing at the highest level of a sport. Absolutely...
That's why you play....