[IRISHMAFIA]

Let me preface this as saying a few of the coaches on that board stood solely on the point that the rule book does not allow an umpire to eject a player for being inept. Below is my response on FPF:

First, most rule books have a savings clause similar to ASA's 10.1 which authorized the plate umpire to make decisions on any situations not specifically covered by the rules. I do not have a NFHS book available, so I could not tell you if there is something of that nature available to the umpire in a Fed game.

Second, I do not think the umpire handled the situation properly.

The coach should have been approached about the problem and at some point simply told the coach the player was no longer eligible to fill the catching position in that game. Not ejected, not necessarily out of the game, just not allowed to catch.

The coach must bear some responsibility to field that position with a player with some resemblance of the ability to handle the position. If the catcher is so inept that an umpire is vulnerable, how vulnerable is the player to possible injury.

As any catcher can show and tell her coach, the equipment they and the umpire wear does not provide all the protection some believe it does. Both rely heavily on the catcher actually being able to get a glove on the ball.

JMHO