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My dd has worn one since 9U and wouldn't go without it whether it was travel or school ball. Why not let them wear it, it only gives them more confidence and protection?
Pitching and Pitchers Discussion Any High School players wearing masks this year?
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@Klump: you're preaching to the choirs 
@SBFamily/Dan: There are many college coaches that don't have a problem with masks, but have you talked with Division 1 high profile coaches who will say outright that a mask doesn't matter? I know that you understand I ask this in the spirit of getting a handle on what is really going on out there on this issue, which I wish would be resolved by a total acceptance of IF face masks across all of the Divisions. Three Division 1 coaches who I will not name (who are all coaches of top-flight programs outside of Ohio and for whom I have the utmost respect) have given me a period of silence in response to my question followed by a lot of words that didn't convince me they would take a player with a mask. One Division 1 coach of a top flight program outside of Ohio (and I would name her here except I'm not sure she would want me to; I've been REALLY impressed by this coach) basically said that if the player has the skills the coach wants, the mask isn't a problem. (Especially if she is a great pitcher).
@SBFamily/Dan: There are many college coaches that don't have a problem with masks, but have you talked with Division 1 high profile coaches who will say outright that a mask doesn't matter? I know that you understand I ask this in the spirit of getting a handle on what is really going on out there on this issue, which I wish would be resolved by a total acceptance of IF face masks across all of the Divisions. Three Division 1 coaches who I will not name (who are all coaches of top-flight programs outside of Ohio and for whom I have the utmost respect) have given me a period of silence in response to my question followed by a lot of words that didn't convince me they would take a player with a mask. One Division 1 coach of a top flight program outside of Ohio (and I would name her here except I'm not sure she would want me to; I've been REALLY impressed by this coach) basically said that if the player has the skills the coach wants, the mask isn't a problem. (Especially if she is a great pitcher
).
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I have talked to a few coaches (D1) who made it very clear that they do not like the masks. It is something that would turn them off when recruiting a Pitcher. We went to Colorado, and California and only seen one girl besides my dd who wore a mask. After that my dd came to me and told me she did not want to wear her mask anymore.
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Seems like times are changing, and more and more girls are wearing masks. If enough girls are wearing them, D1 coaches might not have a choice in the matter if they want to get the best players.
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I wouldn't want my DD to play for a coach that would look down on you for simply wanting to protect yourself! That is the absolutely uncalled for! If there are college coaches out there that feel this way I wish we knew who they were as we would avoid even sending any correspondence to them. If there are some out there they should not allow the hitters to wear helmets or the catcher to wear gear either!
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Our local newspaper just had an article in Sunday's paper about several local girls wearing masks in high school. Here's the link if anyone is interested.
http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20110424/SPORTS/104240311/1006/sports/Softball-infielders-donning-masks-reduce-risk-injury
http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20110424/SPORTS/104240311/1006/sports/Softball-infielders-donning-masks-reduce-risk-injury
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i wear mine when i pitch or play any position in the infield.. i feel much safer with one on!
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happytobeme and Merlion,
Yes I agree, like I said in my post, my dd is a pitcher and she wears the a Rip It... But it serves me none to make up a statement Jenny Finch made at her winter clinic in Monroe Michigan.. It was an awesome camp and my dd loves Jenny, who was very approchable during the whole 2 day camp.. And the exact statement on the mask was " if your dd needs a mask after 10u she shouldnt be playing the game"... Never said I agree with her stance on the mask, also a d1 coach at a winter clinic in said they wont recruit a girl wearing the mask... please dont shoot the messenger..
Yes I agree, like I said in my post, my dd is a pitcher and she wears the a Rip It... But it serves me none to make up a statement Jenny Finch made at her winter clinic in Monroe Michigan.. It was an awesome camp and my dd loves Jenny, who was very approchable during the whole 2 day camp.. And the exact statement on the mask was " if your dd needs a mask after 10u she shouldnt be playing the game"... Never said I agree with her stance on the mask, also a d1 coach at a winter clinic in said they wont recruit a girl wearing the mask... please dont shoot the messenger..
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My dd's college team did not use masks on the batting helmets (they were to cool) until a player bunted a ball into her nose breaking it during a practice, nasty event. The coach was then asked by 9 of the players to install a face mask on their batting helmets. Problem solved. The player with the broken nose lost about 2 weeks of the colligate season until her breathing returned to normal. An unnecessary injury that not only hurt the player but hurt the team during the heart of the season.
A college coach that will not recruit a player because she wears and face mask is an idiot.
Please have him/her go out and stand 35' away from a batter say, Crystal Bustos, while perched on one leg, off balanced as she hits balls 250' on a rope back up through the box. The coach might do it if they can hide behind a screen , but not with the bats these girls swing, the strength they swing with and the techniques they use.
The ball is on a player to fast to react. If a pitcher throws 30 games and faces 600 batters with an average of 5 pitches each she will throw some 3,000 pitches. If she makes a mistake and someone connects only 1%; there will be 30 pitches/hits coming back through the box if she makes 29 plays and misses only one. (An average way-better than any NHL goalie) She will spend the next significant portion of her life in hospitals and rehab. If she is wearing a $40 piece of equipment she will shake off the experience and go back to work without missing a game, a season or her vision.
I guess that my younger dd won't be attending that school.
A college coach that will not recruit a player because she wears and face mask is an idiot.
Please have him/her go out and stand 35' away from a batter say, Crystal Bustos, while perched on one leg, off balanced as she hits balls 250' on a rope back up through the box. The coach might do it if they can hide behind a screen , but not with the bats these girls swing, the strength they swing with and the techniques they use.
The ball is on a player to fast to react. If a pitcher throws 30 games and faces 600 batters with an average of 5 pitches each she will throw some 3,000 pitches. If she makes a mistake and someone connects only 1%; there will be 30 pitches/hits coming back through the box if she makes 29 plays and misses only one. (An average way-better than any NHL goalie) She will spend the next significant portion of her life in hospitals and rehab. If she is wearing a $40 piece of equipment she will shake off the experience and go back to work without missing a game, a season or her vision.
I guess that my younger dd won't be attending that school.
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As a kid growing up, I remember when seat belts were just starting to be installed in cars - after cars had been a staple of American society for over 50 years! And finally we now have air bags, which are shown to be even more effective. So, how many of you guys DON'T wear your seat belts every time you are in a car? How many REQUIRE their kids to? The issue of safety goes far beyond common sense. Some people feel so strongly about it that they pursue legislation to require everyone to "protect themselves" (seatbelt laws). I think this is absolutely ludicrous! If a person needs to be told what common sense already tells them, they are beyond help! While we're at it, how about smoking? Who still smokes around their kids (forget about your own health, because obviously you don't care if you DO smoke), but requires them to wear a face mask on the softball field?
Sorry - just hit a "common sense" hot button!
And yes - no one is permitted in my cars without wearing a seatbelt, and don't even ask about the smoking issue... But what others do is their OWN business, and NONE of mine. In America, adults MUST be able to make their own decisions about everything that concerns them, including personal safety - as long as it doesn't infringe on other's liberties. That's called a Democracy...
An interesting read...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_homeostasis
Sorry - just hit a "common sense" hot button!
And yes - no one is permitted in my cars without wearing a seatbelt, and don't even ask about the smoking issue... But what others do is their OWN business, and NONE of mine. In America, adults MUST be able to make their own decisions about everything that concerns them, including personal safety - as long as it doesn't infringe on other's liberties. That's called a Democracy...
An interesting read...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_homeostasis
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My dd wears the mask and I may be over protective put she also wears the evo sheild under shirt to protect her heart.I have played years of slow pitch softball as a pitcher.I can rember when the composites and high preformance alloy bats first hit the scene.I had time to get back after release of the pitch and thats starting at 50ft.Been hit so many times I could begin to count them,just didn't even have a chance to defend myself.Now put my dd at 40ft,she is 12yo and pitches TB and rec ball with the bats and the training girls do now.Where my dd goes for hitting lessons they measure tee exit speeds,she measures in the mid to high 60's.Now if she is sending a ball off the bat at that speed what are some of these other girls speeds coming back at my dd if she is pitching.No thank you it is just a game not war.I will era on the side of caution.
I had time to get back after release of the pitch and thats starting at 50ft.Been hit so many times I could begin to count them,just didn't even have a chance to defend myself.Now put my dd at 40ft,she is 12yo and pitches TB and rec ball with the bats and the training girls do now.Where my dd goes for hitting lessons they measure tee exit speeds,she measures in the mid to high 60's.Now if she is sending a ball off the bat at that speed what are some of these other girls speeds coming back at my dd if she is pitching.No thank you it is just a game not war.I will era on the side of caution.
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You know you can't even tell that she is wearing that evo-shield under shirt and it doen't effect her pitching at all.
