Thoughts? Are we opening up a big can of worms here?

[teampacyclone]

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/penn-state-altoona-softball-player-charged-hit-batter

What's next this could progress into coaches hitting ground balls, or at football, players claiming they where hit too hard... thoughts?

 

[daboss]

First of all, let's not panic. Somebody is testing the waters to see if this will be considered but I can't imagine any of it sticking. If the judicial system sets a precedent with a case like this, every sport in this country could come under scrutiny. There are inevitable risks in any sport and most sports are played with human beings against each other. The level of violence is different depending on the sport. I agree this is not a part of the game or the normal. Could the defense claim the girl was warned something might happen and she should leave yet she chose to stay, basically throwing caution to the wind and sticking around to take her lumps. (no pun intended) How do you police such a thing?

Kids, old enough to know better but still need a babysitter.

Is this the fault of the coach since they didn't prevent it? Did the staff know this was going on? Look at all the questions and different views you can have over something this simple. There's no end unless we outlaw humans fron interacting with each other. Not going to happen. Don't get me wrong because I am not condoning what happened. It was wrong. However, I believe things like this need to be handled in house by the coaching staff and/or the school. Had the girl been hit in the head and died, perhaps the prosecution could test the waters but probably would end up a civil case with the family sueing everyone. Asking a County or State judicial system to intervene or go as far as to pass laws against violence in sports is too far over the top.

We have to take responsibility for some of our actions and deal with some of this stuff ourselves. Let's quit expecting Big Brother to make our minds up for us about every little detail of our lives.

 

[Louuuuu]

The point to consider is "intent". The pitcher meant to hit her - as payback for ratting her out - and told the batter that. At a practice. I wouldn't be surprised if some sort of minor assault charge gets filed. It's absurd, but so is our society.

Now, a pitcher hitting a batter in a game is a whole different story. It happens a lot, usually unintentional. And when it is deliberate; 1.) prove it, and 2.) it's part of our game.

 

[bigdaddyo1972]

I've been told that our High school varsity coaching staff does this on purpose as part of their training to make the girls less fear full of the ball.

 

[DynastyFastpitch]

I've been told that our High school varsity coaching staff does this on purpose as part of their training to make the girls less fear full of the ball.

If using something like tennis balls I can see it but if it's a regular softball and pitchers are intentionally throwing full speed trying to hit players in practice, that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. The coach would lose under negligence. Also, if a coach tells the pitcher to hit a batter on purpose in a game for example, that coach would also lose a lawsuit and never coach again. However, there has been and always will be dirty play in sports, it happens.

 

[travelinmom]

Wow, players are hard on each other, sometimes bordering on hazing. That's a reality that many of you have already noted in this thread.
I like things to be nice and fair but that isn't real life. This case is an example of how overly politically correct everyone has become. Get over it or our kids will never figure out how to handle these situations. Bullying happens every day, people don't always follow the rules, and teammates aren't always nice to each other. My DD's stories have added a couple of gray hairs to my head but she has made it clear that I am to stay out of it, she will handle it herself and she is no longer a freshman so things are fine.
Life isn't fair, choices have consequences-even when you are trying to do the right thing.

 

[FastBat]

What's the difference between the pitcher using a softball to hit her teammate or physically hitting her with her fists? I don't believe there is a difference, it is all about intent, and she admitted she intended. If the pitcher would have laid her hands on the alleged "tattle tail teammate," there would have been no question...everyone would have probably agreed, it was assault. I think the pitcher used poor judgement and it sounds like she isn't a very good teammate. She did break school policy and was caught drinking.

This should have no baring on a misc. pitcher hitting a misc. player during a game.

 

[SpazMan]

Girl should be kicked off the team. There should be zero tolerance for such behavior.

 

[wow]

Seems like the story changes when the police got involved. At this age, young 20's, emotions get in the way, then when there is a formal investigation the story shifts from intentional to accident. No one will ever know the intent of the pitcher, but when you make statements like she did you incriminate yourself and open the door for your motives to be questioned. If she says it was a accident from the beginning there is no story, no police, and no charges..