In field protection

I am hearing that softball fast pitch pitchers will be required to wear head protection while pitching starting Jan 2007. Is this just a rumor? Do we know if it will be required? What do we know for sure.

 

Safety 1st........but

I'm all for making the game as safe as possible, but before we require facemasks, maybe the governing bodies should consider things such as moving the rubber back 3 feet and less lively balls and bats. Also, will the HS boys be required to wear facemasks in baseball????

I have also heard in HS softball that if a batter scratches out the lines of the batters box with her foot, then the umpire can call a strike on the batter. What's up with that?? I would assume the same rule will apply for the boys in baseball? (yeah right).

Also, in HS baseball, the guys can wear metal cleats, why can't the HS ladies since they can wear them in college softball? Facemasks on batting helmets is a requirement this year in HS softball. Why aren't the guys made to wear them??? I have my personal opinions why, but does anyone know for sure?

 

I hope that is just a rumor. If all the rules for safety go on pretty soon all the girls will be able to play is nurf ball. I wasn't even happy about the face mask on helments and niether were most of the girls. Enough is enough

 

Many younger pitchers are now wearing face protection voluntarily. It seems to be a growing fad. They are certainly smart to take it upon themselves to wear masks. This is NOT something that should be mandated by the softball gods.

I do not agree that what’s done in baseball should automatically be done in softball and vice versa. The two sports are different. Each issue should be decided intelligently, based on what it will ultimately bring to its game.

 

I sometimes think rules are put in place just because the fastpitch game is played by girls rather than thinking of the players as athletes who just happen to be girls.

For example, why can't the girls wear metal cleats and the boys can? Also, why does there need to be a penalty for scratching out the batters box in softball but not in baseball?

As for the facemasks on batting helmets, I have seen several times when they have prevented an injury. However, every time I have seen a ball hit the facemask was when a girl was attempting to bunt. The reason she was hit by the ball was that she was bunting with poor technique. I umpired baseball for over 15 years (high school and college) and only once saw a baseball player (batter) get hit in the face with a batted ball. (the ball bounced off the plate and hit the guy in the mouth, wasn't pretty).

My thought is that up until recently, many girls were never taught proper bunting technique as the boys have been taught (maybe the difference in the shape of the bats contributes some). But I believe with the better coaching today's players are receiving, the less often we will see girls get hit in the face by a ball. But since we now have facemasks, I see no reason for not continuing to wear them.

The only negative to the facemasks I have noticed is when a player slides head first into a base. This past summer in Colorado and at the 18U ASA nationals, I saw two instances where girls injured their necks by sliding head first into third base and the facemask dug into the ground causing the girl's head to roll under her chest. Both times the girls had to come out of the game with badly sprained necks.

After seeing these injuries, I now tell our players that if they must slide head first, they MUST keep their chin and eyes up (like a football player when he makes a tackle). It is when a football player drops his head to tackle, is when most of the severe neck injuries occur.

So if any players slide head first, it may be a good thing to make sure they know to slide with their head up to prevent injury to the neck.

 

some rules make sense

I think requiring face masks in fastpitch softball in HS is a good thing.Same with the chin straps. I wish my DD would wear one in college but thats her decision not mine. Statement made about most of the facial injuries occuring during bunting is probably correct. But, since some of the HS coaches and the rec programs in a lot of areas do not teach proper techniques due to whatever the reason then the players deserve protection even if it has to be forced upon them. We got used to the face masks this summer and there was no problem. Did the players like them...NO...more to the added weight than anything else. There are many selections of face masks coming out and they will only get better with time. Comment on metal cleats goes back to the same issues with lack of proper techniques being taught and you just don't have the same quality of athletes in HS that you do in college. Thus more injuries would occur. My DD got cleated in a game in college and spent time in the ER as well as stitches and missed at least 6 ball games. I don't think they pick on the females as much as they do try to protect those players that might not be up to speed as some of the other teams. Case in Point is Central Cabarrus playing some of the weaker teams in their area. Possible injuries just waiting to happen.

 

Totally agree with BMAC, move the rubber and the bases back for protection and to put a premium on defense instead of so much on pitching. As for legislating the bats and balls, there always seems to be some way around that one. They put that legislation in a few years back but people still scream about the new bats.

 

Case in Point is Central Cabarrus playing some of the weaker teams in their area. Possible injuries just waiting to happen.[/QUOTE]
Enka, what in the world does who CC play have to do with this thread and making the game safer? Maybe the "weaker" teams want to play CC so they can can improve and not remain a weaker team. As long as both teams are using legal equipment and players, then there is nothing wrong. I would certainly would like to have my team play teams of CC's caliber. Plus, CC can't do a thing about who they must play in their conference and I would imagine CC will have a very challenging non-conference schedule in 2006. Does Enka HS ever play any weaker teams?

 

Enka, what in the world does who CC play have to do with this thread and making the game safer? Maybe the "weaker" teams want to play CC so they can can improve and not remain a weaker team. As long as both teams are using legal equipment and players, then there is nothing wrong. I would certainly would like to have my team play teams of CC's caliber. Plus, CC can't do a thing about who they must play in their conference and I would imagine CC will have a very challenging non-conference schedule in 2006. Does Enka HS ever play any weaker teams?[/QUOTE]


The point was and had nothing to do with CC. The point was that with the athletes that CC brings to the field, then some of the weaker teams they play need protection and its not a girl vs boys thing. I brought up CC because everybody or most everybody on this board can relate to the quality program they bring to the field each and every year and by using them try to make the comparison of weaker teams vs a top notch program like CC. It is just a matter of fact. I don't look to see what baseball rules are because they don't apply to softball and therefore I see no point. I also did not bring up legal or illegal equipment. Just saying that I have watched many a HS team and some are very very good and some are very very lacking in fundamentals. Those are the ones that will get hurt. Not trying to over protect but as I stated previously my DD plays in college and I would love it if she wore a face mask. Why? because the better athletes and better coaches teach all phases of the game, including how to pitch inside. If you are not athletic enough or aware of where you are at the plate or how a pitcher might pitch you or how a coach might want his/her pitcher to lay claim to the plate then lets give them protection. Not sure why you would be so opposed to protecting our young student athletes....

 

I don't necessarily think it should be a rule but I think wearing the gameface while pitching is a no brainer. It doesn't hender the pitchers performance at all and better to be safe than sorry.
Like upthemiddle said, moving back the rubber and bases would help as well.