We're off and running ....

[TexBlue]

Well, summertime finally arrived in Ft Worth. Temps reached around 94 degrees. It was 117 degrees at home plate where the catcher sits, on the dirt. I had a 12 year old catcher who quit sweating and had the dazed look on her face. I called time and told the coach. He told me she was OK. I got some water for her, talked to her and told the coach he needed to tend to her. Still told me she was OK. The mother came on the field and told him she was taking the girl into the concession stand to cool her off. The coach told her he needed the catcher, she'd be OK. I tossed him. The assistant coach made a substitution, they got the girl in the shade, cooled her off and she was a lot better a few hours later.

Coaches, it's only a game. Don't screw around with a kid's health for a game!!!!

Had a lot of fun otherwise, the fans on one team got into an altercation with fans from the other team. I had a ringside seat, inside the fence. Broke the monotony of a well played softball game that I was really enjoying. Double forfeit, I'm off for 3 hours, due to the double forfeit, drinking water and getting paid for it.

Scott, did you get your tournament in? We heard it was raining hard over in your neck of the woods.

[FUBLUE]

Did a league game here (Indiana). 10U, teams just learning the game. Catcher catches for about 10 minutes, then starts freaking out. I called time, had coach look after her, and he wanted to put her back in the game. I told coach no, she wasn't catching any more.

It was 90 degrees, with about 90 percent humidity, so it was pretty stiffling. And it was about 6:00 PM.

Turns out it was catchers first time with gear on (I guess in practice they let 10U catch without ANY gear) and she wasn't used to the sweating and the feeling of the gear (which, by the way, was too big for her).

I thinks sometimes adults forget that we have had experience with the heat and know what to look for in ourselves. The kids sometimes don't know what's going on until it's too late.

I know when I'm getting warm, and can take steps to keep it from happening. Kids don't always know, so its up to adults to look after them. Unfortunately, some coaches like to win at all cost.

Not only can this be an issue in fast pitch, but it can be in slow pitch as well. I was observing a slow pitch tournament a few years ago where a women's team had a rather obese catcher, and she got to the point where she was s-l-o-w-l-y chasing balls to the backstop. It was over 100 in the air, and probably 125 or more on the field. Blue working turned to the coach and said, I think she needs to come out. Coach wasn't too happy, because his only sub was a couple of months pregnant, and was having trouble dealing with the heat too. So Blue was generous (the team was getting killed anyway), and said he would allow playing short-handed.

[Skahtboi]

Originally posted by TexBlue
Scott, did you get your tournament in? We heard it was raining hard over in your neck of the woods.

Got in the first four games of the day, and just as the fourth was ending, the skies opened up and there came a real gully-washer. However, it took them a half an hour to make their decision to cancel it. My partner and I could just hear the adult beverages at the local Hooter's calling our names!

Side note: Just as we were both finishing our first adult beverage, my cell phone rang. It was another UIC at another tournament who had heard we were rained out. He wanted to know if we wanted to come down there and pick up a few games. Told him he was about 1 beer too late....sigh.