Player safety

I know I'll probably catch a lot of grief from some on this, but I think the time has come that we make it mandatory for the girls to wear a mask on the corners and in the circle. There were several girls injured this weekend and I hope they are okay. I think there were a couple of knees, a possible broken arm and a horrific shot to a pitcher's face. (This the second time in as many months that I have heard about a horrible accident involving a girls face.) The great thing yesterday was that I saw her up and walking around after the incident and she appeared to be in good spirits. Although I think she lost some teeth and hopefully no permanent damage to her face and jaw. I know we talk about how we love our girls and want what is best for them, so now is the time to show it.

I know that the mask is not a protect all from the ball. Heaven only knows how many times I've been hit by the girls. Now I've been around for quite a few years and I've seen my share of scares and have some scars to prove some of them. I can remember Tony Conigliaro, of the Boston Red Sox, getting hit by a pitch in 1967 that nearly killed him. The majors came back and made it mandatory to have the ear flap. Just last year a coach was killed by a foul ball in the minors. We all complained about the cage on the batting helmets, but I still see the same girls crushing the ball. I have not heard one girl say I struck out because my vision was obscured by the cage. Now I'm not a great fan of metal cleats, but the wost that can happen from them is a gash requiring stitches, a messed up ankle or knee, or worst case a broken bone. I come from a time when metal spikes was all we had. YEA, that's right I'm older than dirt and plastic wasn't even invented then. I think we had to go down to the local blacksmith for him to hammer out some spikes for us to install on our shoes!!! LOL!

I think it's high time we do the right thing to protect the girls. Of course there will be some that will say just ask my daughter she will tell you she doesn't want it. That's not a valid argument in my opinion!! I know there are proponents and opponents to just wearing a seat belt but, seat belts have saved more lives than anyone could count. Are we going to have to go to a funeral before we realize that a little inconvenience and discomfort is worth more than the LIFE of OUR Children!!!!!!

I know the young lady that was hit in the face yesterday and she is an awesome ball player with a good head on her shoulders. After she returned to the ball park both her and her mother talked to a few of my girls about the need to wear the mask. ESPECIALLY in the circle! That was the best news I heard all day. Parents and coaches we need to take a stand and push for the requirement of the mask in those three spots.

Just my 2 cents worth!! The doors are open so go ahead and start the excuses!!

 

Coach, I agree with you. I think it is time that something be done to protect our girls from injury. I have seen lots of girls injured in my time. A simple face mask would have prevented the injury. I think it's time that all the sanctioning bodies get together and make a rule, and then enforce it.

 

Face mask

As a mother of a pitcher - I agree 100% as well. Fortunately and unfortunately my daughter was hit in the chest twice in the same place on the same day by line drives that came off the bat so quick she didn't have time to blink. After the second time she was hit, she had learned two lessons - always wear her mask and hit her spots. If these two line drives would have been 6-8 inches higher and she had not been wearing a mask it would have caused major damage to her face and head. So, we don't even discuss this topic anymore. She just wears it every game she pitches. This past weekend she played up with a 16u team (she is 12) and saw that many of the pitchers did not wear mask. She said there is no way I will go out there and pitch to these girls without a mask - they can make fun of me or not. So- I think it only takes getting hit really hard once to make a believer but sometimes that is all it takes to cause severe injuries to the player. My motto - better safe than sorry.

 

I agree 100%. I've seen a couple pitchers get hit in the face and I've seen the results of several that got hit. The current bat technology is such that reaction time is not sufficient for a hot shot back at the pitcher only 35 or 40 feet away.

You don't get hit every time--you get hit one time!

The girls will adjust to the face mask just as easily as they adjusted to the helmet cage. I required our whole team to wear the helmet masks the year before it was made mandatory. I got resistance but they wore them.

Candi Marshburn from South Wake Storm got hit while wearing one of those heavy Schutt masks. It bent it back so far that it couldn't even be straightened with vise grips. Imagine the damage it would have done to her face.

The face mask should be made mandatory for pitchers. We're talking about an injury that can have serious consequences for a lifetime.

Until they make it mandatory, the head coach should require the mask. If the coach doesn't, the parents should.

 

Safety

Lester is exactly right. I saw the two many close calls. I know some of the girls don't like to gameface but it is needed. I don't like to wear my seatbelt but I am made to wear it.

 

There are starting to be more masks offered and everyone should be able to find one they like. Here are some masks for most players.

http://www.emasksales.com/

 

Several weeks ago our pitcher (12U) was hit in the face by a line drive. There was no way she could react. Fortunately she was wearing a game face. She was able to get back up and she finished pitching the game. Tough as nails in my book. I was very impressed by the her and the game face. There is no question, she would have been facing surgery without it.

 

I was told by a well known softball training organization last week that they didn;t like to see the pitchers wearing a mask. They said that they should be able to catch a ball at this age. I lost a lot of respect for this place by that comment. I think if something is out there that can protect a girl and she wants to use it she should, and not be critisized for it, just because someone thinks you should be able to catch a ball that comes back at them alot of times faster than they can react!!! I think a remark like this is just plain stupid. jmho

 

I agree 100%, my whole infield wears them, and my 8 year is not allowed in the outfield without it. Great post Lester, not of fan of the metal cleats, we have played too many teams that play dirty ball and that is a accident waiting to happen when they are able to wear them!!

Coach Tammy
The Heat 14U