NFHS Rule 1-6-3

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by BlitzkriegBob

Coach: But our last umpire told me....

I always say the opposite of whatever follows this statement.

And the helmet better not have an optic yellow Mizuno logo on it either.

[Scooby]

If you allow them not to have a helmet on and they get hit in the head with a ball you will be named first in the law suit.

Also what about a bad throw from the catcher that is warming up the pitcher that the shagger has her back to? The right fielder does not have to worry about that.

[DaveASA/FED]

"1. to chase or follow after; pursue.
2. to go after and bring back; fetch.
3. Baseball. to retrieve and throw back (fly balls) in batting practice."

Above is from Dictionary.com for shag. IMO she is not there to shag balls, she is there to perform a defensive function of protecting the pitcher from being injuried while she has her back to a live ball. She is not there to retrieve and throw back balls, she is there to knock them down and keep them from rupturing a kidney by hitting the back of the pitcher, or killing her with a shot to the brain stem.

Scooby,
There is a chance that right or left fielder could in fact be in trouble of being hit also, if she is playing close to the line and there is a fly ball in foul territory that she goes for as the catcher releases the ball she could very well run into a throw in the back of the head, not as likely but possible.

[Dakota]

The fundamental purpose of the rule is to require a player from getting beaned whose purpose on the playing field is to not stay focused on softballs traveling at high velocity toward the player. A base coach is not focused on the ball like a defensive player would be, for example.

A ball shagger will be (supposedly) chasing down one fly ball with her back to the action while another may be on its way.

In that regard, then, it would make more sense to require the pitcher warming up to wear a helmet that the player "protecting" her. Unless, of course, you have a wild-throwing warmup catcher.

[JefferMC]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

"1. to chase or follow after; pursue.
2. to go after and bring back; fetch.
3. Baseball. to retrieve and throw back (fly balls) in batting practice."

Hey, what about the State Dance of South Carolina. (Not to mention what the Brit's mean...)

[kyleflan]

On a side note: The past two years I've helped coach our JV softball team so that they'd have a first base coach. My Junior year in high school I did it without anyone ever saying anything and without a helmet on. However, my Senior year, when I'm actually 18, a fellow volleyball official recognizes me, remembers that I'm a high school student, and makes me put on a helmet. Of course I wasn't very happy seeing as a I was heckled for the rest of the season. The only thing that upset me was that I looked in the UIL (I'm in Texas) Softball district rule and the NFHS rule book and never found anything saying I had to wear a helmet. When I politely asked her where the rule was she said she just knew it was a rule and told me to ask the local assigner (who's been around softball forever, it seems) and said if he said I didn't have to, I didn't have to. Well he said I didn't have to, but she went back on her word and said I had to anyways. The next day, she came up to me and pointed out a rule about players having to wear helmets when coaching first base. I simply asked her, "If I was a player, wouldn't that make my team ineligible?"

Needless to say, I had to continue (resentfully) wearing a helmet for the rest of the season. If anyone knows the rule that would require me to wear a helmet, I'd love to know which one it is.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by kyleflan

On a side note: The past two years I've helped coach our JV softball team so that they'd have a first base coach. My Junior year in high school I did it without anyone ever saying anything and without a helmet on. However, my Senior year, when I'm actually 18, a fellow volleyball official recognizes me, remembers that I'm a high school student, and makes me put on a helmet. Of course I wasn't very happy seeing as a I was heckled for the rest of the season. The only thing that upset me was that I looked in the UIL (I'm in Texas) Softball district rule and the NFHS rule book and never found anything saying I had to wear a helmet. When I politely asked her where the rule was she said she just knew it was a rule and told me to ask the local assigner (who's been around softball forever, it seems) and said if he said I didn't have to, I didn't have to. Well he said I didn't have to, but she went back on her word and said I had to anyways. The next day, she came up to me and pointed out a rule about players having to wear helmets when coaching first base. I simply asked her, "If I was a player, wouldn't that make my team ineligible?"

Needless to say, I had to continue (resentfully) wearing a helmet for the rest of the season. If anyone knows the rule that would require me to wear a helmet, I'd love to know which one it is.

The rule of OOO.

[charliej47]

Around here in Ohio if you are a student then All students in high school are not considered as adults. After you graduate you can come back and coach all you want without the helmet.

[BretMan]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

"1. to chase or follow after; pursue.
2. to go after and bring back; fetch.
3. Baseball. to retrieve and throw back (fly balls) in batting practice."

Above is from Dictionary.com for shag.

I prefer Austin Power's definition of "shag".

To "shag": (verb)...well, never mind...

Over on the baseball side, FED added a rule last year that said the "protector" (player protecting the pitcher while warming up in an area not fenced off from the playing field) was mandatory.

While the actual rule requiring a "protector" reads that the player must wear a glove, there is no mention of a helmet. However, the pre-season interpretive literature noted that a helmet must be worn, as an extension of the usual helmet rules.

There is a "Point of Emphasis" in their rule book this year about the protector also wearing a helmet.

I would apply the same standard on the softball field.

[BlitzkriegBob]

Dragging out an old threat to give an update on my experience with this. After reading everyone's responses, I was completely convinced that requiring the "protector" to wear a helmet was the right choice. The reason I originally brought this up was because, like DaveASA/FED, I questioned whether or not the "protector" was actually a ball shagger. Anyway, I decided that if I ever encountered this situation, I would make them wear a helmet.

Of course, not two weeks later, I'm PU in a JV game where the warm up area is in LBT. I actually notice out of the corner of my eye in the fourth inning that home team has someone warming up down there, but I'm not being OOO so I don't even notice if there is a protector. However, in the bottom of the fifth inning there is a foul ball down the left field line and my attention is drawn to that area, where again someone is warming up. I notice the protector does not have on a helmet, so I inform the home team coach to have her put one on. Home team coach complies immediately. From behind the backstop, I hear someone complaining about how he is so fed up with umpires who make up rules and blah blah blah, which I completely ignore and Mr. Loudmouth shuts up after a minute or so, but not before announcing that he is going to call Julie Johnson from Indianapolis (yeah schmuck, you obviously know her well since you don't even know she doesn't live in Indy). I find out after the game from my partner that Mr. Loudmouth was actually the varsity coach. I've done varsity games there before but I wasn't playing match the voice/face so I didn't realize it was him. I decide I'll call Julie the next day to give her my side of what happened since I have no doubt this coach who suffers from cranial rectosis will contact her.

When I call JJ, she tells me she hasn't heard from the coach, but when I explain the situation, she tells me that she does not consider these "protectors" to be ball shaggers (much like Dave suggests) and that she even includes this in her area clinics that they are not required to don a helmet (Dave, did you attend one of these?).

Now I'm not sure what the big deal about putting on a helmet is, and in my situation neither the head coach nor the "protector" had any problem with my ruling, but since JJ said "don't make them put one on", I decide I won't make them put one on. Next game after that I'm working with a really good veteran umpire that I've worked with previously. I'm relating this information to him for discussion after our doubleheader is done. He informs me that our association has discussed this in the past, and that no one is more hard nose about it than our assignor, and he has worked games with her before when she stops the game to have the "protector" put on a helmet. He also poses the question that if they are not considered a ball shagger, and they are not wearing a helmet, what happens if they actually do shag a ball while they are out there? Do you now issue a team warning for a violation of Rule 1-6-3?

I know none of this is ground breaking stuff that will influence what any of you might do as part of your game management but I thought I'd share this as food for thought.

[DaveASA/FED]

Bob,
I might have been to one of those rules meetings. I also might work 10-12 games a year with JJ. My favorite line is if protector has to wear one, then why doesn't right / left (pick which dugout they are outside of) fielder have to wear one? They are both equipped with a mitt and they are both facing the batter ready to "field" a ball hit at them.

Also in Fed Softball there is no rule that states they have to have a protector out there. There is a local coach that doesn't feel it is necessary to have one out there, throws a fit if you try to make him put one out there....I tell you one thing if it was my dd warming up pitching she better have someone out there watching her back.....but that is just me!!

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

Also in Fed Softball there is no rule that states they have to have a protector out there. There is a local coach that doesn't feel it is necessary to have one out there, throws a fit if you try to make him put one out there....I tell you one thing if it was my dd warming up pitching she better have someone out there watching her back.....but that is just me!!

There is also no rule that says you have to allow them to warm up in live ball territory; even if there is no other area available. Coach, if you want my permission to allow it, it is conditional on you having a protector. Period.