Do you make your pitchers wear a mask?

[Sam]

Only the really ugly ones.

[NumeroUno]

I believe Little League softball are not required to wear masks on their helmets.

[Pitchermom]

My DD will always wear a mask or she won't pitch. There was a time when she didn't wear a mask. Then one night at a pitching practice, standing behind the catcher behind the nets, I was distracted and turned to see what someone was saying to me, and when I did my daughter's pitch was high and wasn't caught by the catcher, and I was hit square in the side of my face. Spun me around and knocked me down like a bowling pin. She was only 10, and was being timed at the moment and was only throwing 37mph. My nose was broken requiring surgery, it split one of my molars in two (couldn't be saved), swelled both of my eyes shut, I had a swollen eyeball requiring visits to special doctors watching my retina, and also had extensive swelling and bruising from my forehead to my chin. I ended up missing 3 weeks work. Technically that was a slow pitch! Can't believe I still let her pitch, but I did state clearly that from that point on she would wear a faceguard or change sports. She has always worn a Game Face and truly has had little complaint about it. Never a vision problem. Just gets a little sweaty on a 98 degree day after several games. (smile) Aren't we all? Let me say, when she began wearing one no one knew what they were. Players on other teams would be overhead saying "what is she wearing?" Now, we see them at every single tournament, not just on pitchers, but on first and third players as well. We play 14U and every time we go out I see them more and more. I tell her she started the trend.

[The Viking]

I am really dumb founded that ASA,NSA,USSSA and all the others don't make it the golden rule that pitchers and the corners are required to wear the mask.20 years ago or so they made hockey players all go to helmets just for that reason....SAFETY.I don't care how good you are or how long you've been playing, it only takes one time to take a laser to the face and then theres a good chance you are DONE.It is just common sense.The game is changing as we see it.Composite bats,the balls are alot better and the girls are bigger,stronger and the pitchers are faster.Stand forty feet away from from a pitching machine set at seventy and simulate throwing a pitch and at the same time have someone feed one in set at your face and thats not even close to the speed of the ball if a girl gets all of it.These are adults who are running these sanctions,in my opinion they are careless for over looking this.And thats my view and I'm sticking to it................aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh.

[The Viking]

Spaz you need to stop hitting yourself,I think its been going on way too long.

[katjoebenmom]

Where does the nanny state stop? We should ban cars because people die in them. Bikes, skateboards, roller skates, walking,the list is endless...
There are dangers in everything we do. Let the individual decide.

Spazdad---are you just trying to stir the pot?

Probably at one time catchers didn't have to wear protective gear, either, but would you let a girl get behind the plate without it now?

Would you let your 12 year old tell you she didn't think she needed to wear a seatbelt in the car, anymore? Would you let your 14year old tell you she didn't need a curfew? Of course not, no reasonable parent would. So if this equipment can protect our kids, why wouldn't we insist they wear it?

When the girls are in college and are adults, then they can decide for themselves, but until then, they are children and do not have the experience and judgement to always decide what is in their best interests.

[katjoebenmom]

Spazdad---you're good, very good.

That last post was very persuasive ~ smooth like "budda".

And while you're right---there were many things about my childhood that were positive that might be considered neglect nowadays, there are some on your list that I would not advocate today. I think in some cases, we survived in spite of our parents.

And I wish it didn't have to be mandated by some governing body, but it's a shame some parents don't have sense enough to do the right thing on their own.

[jofus]

I agree Spaz, we did survive all of that (well, those of us still around...some didn't ), I feel the need to point out that the world isn't the same today that it was 20 or 30 years ago

[dejavu]

Pitcher and corners should always wear a mask!

[slider201]

The other piece of equipment the OP asked about is the Heart-Gard.

Example:

http://softballsolutions.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=85&zenid=9b37606a91a6e77f3e0db3eae3b1cc0d