Checking equipment
 

:D<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CCNJOHN%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5 Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> I go into the dugouts and check equipment. I pick up the bats and do a visual inspection for cracks, dents or obvious sign on altering.
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I pick up the helmets and look for cracks, missing padding or alterations.
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I Check the F2 mask for missing/loose parts.
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During my officiating career I have officiated five high school sports as a licensed official. I have always followed the check off rules for equipment. Although I will admit to having slipped up and forgot to when we were running late a time or two.
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I have officiated “select” teams in four sports and have been involved in two lawsuits because of player injuries.
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Every year in High School baseball/softball I find illegal/damaged equipment. In the last 20 years I have found altered equipment twice in non-high school sports.
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This year I found more than a dozen bats and 7 or 8 helmets and 2 F2 masks that were non-playable for baseball or softball.
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Something none of us want to be perceived as.

Welcome to the board, Mary Ellen!

ty! :d

I have tried to throw away bad helmets but coaches complain and say they are for batting practice. :mad: Anyway they can come to the plate with anything tey want anyhow so much for checking! :o

I don't throw them away, I throw them out of the game.

And why would you let them come to the plate with anything they want?

Final followup:

The team in the OP made it to the district championship, and I had the plate. I didn't see (or hear) the bat then entire game. The head coach did half-jokingly say as I walked in to his team to make sure everybody was using legal equipment. I just smiled as I walked in....let him get in his little dig until it was time to get down to business. They lost 8-5.