Injured Player Info?

[play-more/talk-less]

I'm glad to see most on here are in favor of masks I am not going to argue for or against a mask rule. I just want the parents of younger players on here to realize this was a 18u tourney at this level you don't see as many hard hits at the pitcher like in the younger ages there are still some but most shots are hit at the corners. I believe this is because the pitchers have learned by this level where to throw so it dosen't come back at them however if you gotta throw over the plate to get a strike someone is in the line of fire. My point is at a younger age the corners may get a false sense of security but when they get up at a higher level the pitching and hitting gets better and those shots that grazed the pitcher in 10u,12u now are flying at the corners. Make your own decision for your kid this is the second time I have seen a girl hit hard in the face and mine has played third some and never wore a mask she was on deck when this occurred less than twenty feet from her she said she will never play third with out a mask again. I think it is ashame these girls and parents have to see something that violent to convince them to protect themselves or their kids. BTW the girl that replaced the injured player at third borrowed our third baseman's mask for the rest of the game.

[22'sDad]

"The ripit is a very good comfortable mask that gives the wearer alot of protection and alot more visibility over the game face. The softball store on memorial stocks the game face. You may have to order the ripit."

FYI Budget sporting goods has the Rip it on the shelf, both sizes and a few different colors. $40.00 plus tax

[sbmom961]

There is an aspect to this argument I have been mulling over but have never seen addressed in these debates. It is that of the effect on the batter. In the short tern if my DD nailed a pitcher square on in the head I am sure she would run to assist the pitcher rather than try to leg out extra bases. In the long term, I wonder what the effect would be on a batter that severly injured another player. Would she have a tendency to hold back on future ABs, or possibly quit the sport altogether from a fear of injuring another. I have seen this happen in both pro and amature ranks. Wasnt it Boom Boom Mancini that had a great career going until he killed a man in the ring.

At this point the choice to wear a mask is a personal one, but to claim that it only effects your DD is false.

As for mine, if she is in the dirt she will wear a mask.

New Coach, I can tell you from personal experience that back when I played, I did hit the line drive that busted the 3rd basemans face open. It was very devastating to me and I could not swing the bat for a long time. My coach would get mad at me b/c I wouldnt swing hard.. So yes, it has a lasting effect on ther batter as well. It took quite a while for me to fully swing again and still if I pick up and play old people co-ed (LOL) and there is a weaker looking woman on 3rd, I cant hit it hard at her...