Spikes and 14U teams playing up in 16U Tournaments

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Some 14U teams like to play up in 16U events and some even take on 18U events. While that may be less likely this year with pitching distance at 43 ft, I am curious if 14U teams will be allowed to play up in 16U events where spikes are allowed-- there would seem to be some liability issues involved. If this has been addressed before, my apologies for bringing it up again.

 

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Some 14U teams like to play up in 16U events and some even take on 18U events. While that may be less likely this year with pitching distance at 43 ft, I am curious if 14U teams will be allowed to play up in 16U events where spikes are allowed-- there would seem to be some liability issues involved. If this has been addressed before, my apologies for bringing it up again.

Tourn:

Not sure if I understand your question or concern. 14u teams don't have to wear metal spikes - they can wear their pastic spikes. As far as 14u teams who choose to play up at 16u or 18u age groups and as a result a 14u player becomes injured from being slid into. I can't imagine any liability - they signed up to play at that level according to that age groups rules.

 

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A lot of the older 14s are already playing HS ball with spikes so it shouldn't really be a problem.

 

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Tangy,

My major concern is liability---I'm assuming The 14U teams can't wear spikes because someone decided it wasn't safe for them, even tho many play with them at the high school level. If my assumption is correct, and a coach wants his players to play up and a TD allows a 14U sanctioned team to play up and a 14U girl is hurt by spikes, then who bears the liability. In this world we live in , it seems like anyone could sue at any time. I know it's a hypothetical question but certainly within the realm of possibility. The crazy thing is that you could have a 13 or 14 yr old on a 16U team and they could wear spikes but if there was a 15 yr old girl on a 14U team they couldn't wear spikes.

Bob

 

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Tangy,

My major concern is liability---I'm assuming The 14U teams can't wear spikes because someone decided it wasn't safe for them, even tho many play with them at the high school level. If my assumption is correct, and a coach wants his players to play up and a TD allows a 14U sanctioned team to play up and a 14U girl is hurt by spikes, then who bears the liability. In this world we live in , it seems like anyone could sue at any time. I know it's a hypothetical question but certainly within the realm of possibility. The crazy thing is that you could have a 13 or 14 yr old on a 16U team and they could wear spikes but if there was a 15 yr old girl on a 14U team they couldn't wear spikes.

Bob

TD:

I don't blame you for being hesitant but IMHO (which means nothing legally), if a team chooses to play up they assume all risks associated with playing against older players including - they may hit harder, pitch faster, wear metal spikes, etc.... Just my opinion. Either JoeA or Cgs would be excellent legal resources to confirm or deny my point of view.

Mike

 

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Tangy
MHO means nothing also and if Joe doesn't comment, I'll email him.

thanks,

bob

 

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As a recovering attorney, here are my two cents:
If anyone is naive enough to think that if Susie Studmuffin's "promising college career" was cut short because someone slid into her at 2nd base and slit her open, and that her parent's won't engage a litigator to sue the team, coaches, umpires, tourn. direct. sanctioning body, and God himself, then I have some high quality ground to sell you about 100 feet down in Lake Erie. People sue over stuff that would have gotten them laughed out of court even 15 years ago, and it is cheaper to settle most of the time rather than litigate. When I was a fulltime County Prosecutor, we settled some cases rather than tie up staff--we even had the hammer of sovereign immunity as a trump card, which a tourn. and coach will not. As far as waivers--make good toilet paper, other than that worthless. The old "informed assumption of the risk" defense is pretty much toast. Trust me, whatever injury Susie Studmuffin gets could not have been reasonably foreseen, and even if it was, somebody is still at fault. Remember, we now live in a society where a guy can get drunk, pick up his lawnmower to trim his hedges, amputate his own leg, and STILL WIN A LAWSUIT.