Catchers: Mask or Unmask ???

[Kat]

LOL, My DD is a 16yo-6'1" 185lb catcher, I would think the runner better make sure her chinstrap is nice & tight. She does keep the mask on.

I think more appropriately they will be thinking....oh this is gonna hurt, I hope I don't get all the hurt!! And if shes the runner the catcher will be saying....OH GOD THIS IS GONNA HURT!!! I know my 5'7" DD who weighs 145 lbs might be thinking that when a girl like yours comes pounding to home, of course that doesnt mean she will move outta the way.

[CallingCadence14]

With the Hockey style masks it's just as easy to keep it on.Learn how to play with the PPE
and play longer use the knee savers too.They wont be young forever.Tell em to take advantage of every protective equipment possible.Make sure they have proper elbow pad that can reflect a glance off a bat on the Glove side elbow.I hear in some High Schools everyone gets to bat even whiplash winnie with the reverse checkswing while she is still in the box.Not her fault ,she doesn't know .Your Catcher will pay the price if you do not cover these points.
Failure to prepare is the first step to the emergency room,freak accidents on and off the field account for 26% of lost Scholarships.Don't be a Could of,Should of,Would of.
Improper Stretching can destroy a Catchers career.
Hyper extended elbows,pulled shoulders,over exertion of lats.
Keep the cotton stinkin helmet on your head and you wont stick your foot in it and rip up your ankle.

Most important prepare,for the unexpected.
Don't run late if you need time to stretch!!!
Also
Soccer
Basketball
Volleyball
Hips,Knee,Ankle Terrors.

[teammom]

Like many others have said, keep the mask on. I've seen catchers throw the mask on a pop up trying to find the ball only to have the ball coming back down to hit them in the head before they found where the ball is.

[fasterpitch92701]

DD at a Stanford softball camp 3 years ago; told to keep the mask on. Has played with it on ever since. If you can see the ball there is no advantage to flipping the mask. Typically, you can see the ball.

[Judd]

last night at practice, two of the moms were talking ans stating how the catcher should get the mask off. I had to explain how most feel it should be left on for safety reasons and there really is no reason they cant see the ball. Not sure they believed me

[dittoz]

This is exactly what I've always taught and my coaching partner was surprised to hear that. It was always his opinion that a catcher get the mask off to be abel to have the best view.

I pointed out that football players don't pull a mask off prior to a tackle or a catcha nd they can see the ball just fine.

The only time I coach to take the mask off is on a straight up pop-foul. Take the mask off, hold it until you find the ball, then toss the mask the other way so you don't step on it.

So, if everyone is teaching to keep the mask on, why is it that whenever a picture of a softball catcher comes up with someone's DD making a play, she's got the d*** mask off !?

[Lefty's Dad]

I'm not sure this will work but you know someone would come back with a pic after you made that comment, right? Try to follow this link: http://1msp.com/iphoto/main2.cfm
There is a series of pics (not that I took) of my DD making a catch behind the plate.

Okay, it doesn't work completely. Go to upper left hand corner and select "gallery" then select the 2nd listing "Alvin Feb. Follies", then choose "14u Settegast RBI and Magic Xtreme game" go to page 9 and you will see the pics.