surprised this hasn't been discussed yet, ky player injured

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Legislating that all kids wear masks is like legislating every kid in a "bad" neighborhood wear a bullet proof vest. It just does not address the root of the problem! You must prosecute the shooter, NOT the victim!

There is no doubt that there is a safety problem, and it is squarely rooted in the unabated use of advanced equipment (bats & balls) that are ruining a child's game. In order for change to take place, there has to be an organized effort. As has been said before, after masks what's next? Armored suits?

If parents and organizations are truly serious about this particular safety issue, they will stop buying the combinations of hot bats and hot balls that are causing the damage. I'm sure if "razor blade cleats" became the rage they would take action!

 

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Does anyone remember before the batting helmet face mask rule cam into being?

The year before the rule change my daughter sent 3 batters to the emergency room during the season because they bunted the ball into their face. The next year the travel organizations adopted the face mask for the batting helmets and not a single injury occurred. The world did not end.

This is about protecting these players face and head with a simple piece of equipment. I am not advocating encasing these players a cocoon of bubble-wrap. There will still be plenty of danger in the world to keep a parent up at night; I just think that the fielder's face mask should become universal on at least the pitchers and the corners.

 

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Beginning high school freshman year, before batting helmet masks were made mandatory, I required my DD to have a helmet mask - or she could not bat. That year, ALL the batting helmets appeared with masks. My reasoning wasn't initially because of fouled bunts, it was because of the unpredictably wild pitching.

DD's freshman year in college, her team was playing an indoor event at Kent State, and one of her teammates (without a helmet mask) took a bunt shot into her eye, with a trip to the hospital. Her senior year, a fellow pitcher took a shot to the forehead in batting practice that left seams imprinted in her forehead.

Having a pitching daughter, I was terrified that she may get hit. She DID get hit many times, (luckily) mostly in the legs. I am positive that if those balls were SOFT, and the bats used were not lethal weapons, the damage in all these incidents would have been far less severe, probably no more severe than a leg scrape. Batting helmets are common sense, especially for eye protection.

Tennis is another sport where the ball is traveling MUCH faster than a softball. Why aren't masks a big deal there? The composition of the ball. Sure it stings and makes a welt. Now, make a tennis ball hard as a rock and see people revolt!

With the science and technology we have today, there is NO excuse for not having reasonably safe sports for our kids. Allowing equipment to be used that violates a reasonable degree of safety is a travesty. Forcing families to purchase additional safety equipment because of this oversight makes no sense to me.

 

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In a perfect world the powers-that-be would soften the ball and/or control the bats but this isn't a perfect world. You can instantaneous fix this problem and protect your dd's by purchasing this additional safety equipment. I would strongly recommend that you do this and make your dd's wear them until upper-management gets its act together. If not; count your lucky stars every time your dd walks off the field uninjured.

 

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Beginning high school freshman year, before batting helmet masks were made mandatory, I required my DD to have a helmet mask - or she could not bat. That year, ALL the batting helmets appeared with masks. My reasoning wasn't initially because of fouled bunts, it was because of the unpredictably wild pitching.

DD's freshman year in college, her team was playing an indoor event at Kent State, and one of her teammates (without a helmet mask) took a bunt shot into her eye, with a trip to the hospital. Her senior year, a fellow pitcher took a shot to the forehead in batting practice that left seams imprinted in her forehead.

Having a pitching daughter, I was terrified that she may get hit. She DID get hit many times, (luckily) mostly in the legs. I am positive that if those balls were SOFT, and the bats used were not lethal weapons, the damage in all these incidents would have been far less severe, probably no more severe than a leg scrape. Batting helmets are common sense, especially for eye protection.

Tennis is another sport where the ball is traveling MUCH faster than a softball. Why aren't masks a big deal there? The composition of the ball. Sure it stings and makes a welt. Now, make a tennis ball hard as a rock and see people revolt!

With the science and technology we have today, there is NO excuse for not having reasonably safe sports for our kids. Allowing equipment to be used that violates a reasonable degree of safety is a travesty. Forcing families to purchase additional safety equipment because of this oversight makes no sense to me.

"1"

 

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Amen!! It is OUR responsibility to require our minor daughters to use protective equipment, not the coach's, school's or any other government body.

We went to mandatory facemasks on all 'Hawks infielders for our 12u and down teams last season. Had some push-back from a few parents at first but we figured that once the girls are accustomed to them it would be no problem. Now the girls 'expect' to wear it and would not take the field without it.

Agree with Sammy, balls and bats are too hot but until the root problem is addressed we have to protect the girls.

 

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You all make very good points! My daughter is a pitcher and does not take the field unless she has her fielders mask on. She took a very flush line drive off of her shin last year. That was scary enough to watch. I couldn't imagine if that had been her face.

 

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As I said on Friday I made masks for the corners and pitcher mandatory as of Saturday’s game.
I was prepared for parent up roar…….but to my surprise, there was none. Actually it was the opposite.
I was amazed at how many girls had mask s in there bag and never put them on. (some I have been coaching for 3 years or more). I even had parents came up to me and thank me for making it mandatory. One parent went out and purchased 3 extra masks for anyone who wanted one that day and did not have one. I am still getting positive email even this morning.
I think it is up to us as coaches and parents to make masks happen until the balls and bats are changed.
Thanks to all the parents at BV middle school. No coach could ask for more.