Hey...Irish gangster guy....You say all this knowledge you have comes from first hand experience??? Including coaching...... Well, I think if any coach is worth a grain of salt they need to know how to teach sliding properly. So you are saying that all baseball coaches properly teach sliding? Is that why they get to use them? Maybe you do not know how to teach it but they have clinics for that if you would like to attend. I have had countless girls go on to play in college and they all come back and ask why they could not wear metal cleats in high school. I personally wrote letters to the federation trying to get the rule changed. Needless to say, I think they made the right decision.
You dont see girl basketball players wearing penny loafers do you? No, they play on the same surface that the boys do and they are permitted to wear the same type of shoe because it gives them the best traction. Listen carefully, I will type slow so you can understand me....the rule doesnt state that they HAVE to wear them. It just gives them the option.
There is a reason why high school baseball, college baseball and softball, pro baseball and softball wear them. They dont wear them because they sound cool walking on concrete!!!! They give you better traction. If you played something other then rec -league slow pitch, you would realize that games and players that are played at a high level need good traction on many different types of surfaces.
Dont bash high school coaches......I am one and I take offense to your biased view of the female ego comment and I am a male coach. Sounds like someone needs a bigger soap box. I applaud the federation for finally making the change. Let me guess....next thing is you will be for madatory face mask for the centerfielder and everyone using wiffle ball bats!!!
Stick to learning where the strike zone actually is and let the coaches and players deal with equipment issues that helps the athlete perform at a higher level. By the way scrapes and cuts heal a lot faster than pulled muscles or blown ACLs due to slipping or sliding.....