Metal Cleats in High School

[Spirit1]

["Let the 16-year-olds decide" isn't an acceptable solution for who picks out the breakfast cereal, let alone who decides what softball equipment is safe to use.]

Gee, another helicopter parent or control freak whichever fits the bill. Heaven forbid any young adult be given any resposibility or a boost in self confidence that they can make such a major desision as to what shoes to wear.

Skarp I would not suggest that if you are actually worried about major injury that cheerleading not be included in your secondary options considering that studies show cheerleading to be one of the most dangerous of any sports related activity.

Finally, draw your lines wherever you want, this topic is still not a big deal. The players are quite capable of handling the change.

[americanfreedom]

["Let the 16-year-olds decide" isn't an acceptable solution for who picks out the breakfast cereal, let alone who decides what softball equipment is safe to use.]

Gee, another helicopter parent or control freak whichever fits the bill. Heaven forbid any young adult be given any resposibility or a boost in self confidence that they can make such a major desision as to what shoes to wear.

Skarp I would not suggest that if you are actually worried about major injury that cheerleading not be included in your secondary options considering that studies show cheerleading to be one of the most dangerous of any sports related activity.

Finally, draw your lines wherever you want, this topic is still not a big deal. The players are quite capable of handling the change.

The idea that this issue should be "dropped" is ridiculous. Where the safety of our DDs is concerned, lively debate is essential and necessary. Moreover, your position is almost identical to the "we don't need anyone telling us how to make our DDs safe" arguments made when ASA made face masks mandatory in youth play, and now I believe most parents (including you) couldn't image letting a 14u, 16u, or 18u DD play without a facemask on their batting helment.

Overall, softball actually is relatively safe compared to other women's sports, including cheerleading. For example, in high school between 1982 and 2005, there was 1 death, 13 catastrophic injuries, 24 serious injuries, and 27,726 emergency room visits in cheerleading compared to 1 death, 2 catastrophic, 0 serious injuries, and 56,204 emergency room visits in softball (since 1993 only).* Interestly, there were 20 deaths arising out of high school track and field during that same time period.

Metal spikes probably aren't going to kill anyone, but if a little advocy on my part can prevent my DD from suffering a totally unnecesary 27-stitch slash on her shin, I'll continue to argue against metal in high school until someone can point me to anything other than ancedotal evidence that metal prevents more serious injuries that they cause.

* National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, 23rd Annual Report, and Consumer Product Safety Commission - National Electronic Injury Survellience System.

[Skarp]

Gee, another helicopter parent or control freak whichever fits the bill. Heaven forbid any young adult be given any resposibility or a boost in self confidence that they can make such a major desision as to what shoes to wear.

Ummm, no. You just made that point like it actually merited some weight in the analysis--an idiotic notion at best. We're not discussing "what shoes to wear." We're discussing a legitimate safety issue, which your average high school kid is certainly not prepared to opine intelligently upon. (Kids that age notoriously underestimate risk in favor of being cool or other trivial considerations). The fact that you believe otherwise says a lot more about you than my belief to the contrary says about me.

But at least you were consistent in your post--none of your other points were worth a damn either.

[Demonboy]

["Let the 16-year-olds decide" isn't an acceptable solution for who picks out the breakfast cereal, let alone who decides what softball equipment is safe to use.]

Gee, another helicopter parent or control freak....etc etc etc whichever

Please tell me that Coach TG didn't find heybucket.