Just curious

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by ASA/NYSSOBLUE

How long ago was this?? One thing I keep saying about the difference in working high school ball for the almost 20 years I have been working it, is that, due to the growing prominence of travel ball, kids come into school ball knowing how to pitch! And pitching hard too! One criticism I have had with our local new officials clinic, is that the clinicians, who are very good NCAA level officials, still tend to denigrate the playing/pitching ability of the 7th/8th grade girls a touch.

I don't know about how hard they throw, but it's hard enough. What I have seen is that often when the pitchers are not yet very good, neither are the catchers. We're far more likely to get hit in a lower level game than a higher level game. I wear all the gear in jr hi games and in every other game. Those that don't are taking a chance that I'm not willing to take.

[wadeintothem]

Like others, know a couple who dont. Knew another that got zapped and now wears the K2. It's not their potential or injury that is my concern, its how their hiding affects the zone.

[NDblue]

Dang, I even wear mine doing 10U and 8U ball. Even though they're not throwing that hard, a foul ball can almost double the velocity and if hit in the right place, it can hurt.

[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

Originally Posted by Steve M

I don't know about how hard they throw, but it's hard enough. What I have seen is that often when the pitchers are not yet very good, neither are the catchers. We're far more likely to get hit in a lower level game than a higher level game. I wear all the gear in jr hi games and in every other game. Those that don't are taking a chance that I'm not willing to take.

Actually the problem you will encounter is that the while the pitcher may be good, sometimes the catcher WON'T be. We get that in a youth league we work that uses ASA rules instead of being LL -the pitchers are WAY ahead of the catchers...and boy, does that hurt!

[wadeintothem]

The lower the level the bigger the protector.

[shipwreck]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

The lower the level the bigger the protector.

Bring out the balloon.

[umpirebob71]

The older I get, the less I like pain. I wear every bit of protection I can. With some games I've worked, I wish I could have had a full suit of armor.

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by umpirebob71

The older I get, the less I like pain.

Maybe that's me, too. I went the first 10 years or so without a protector. About 80% of our organization near Tampa did not wear them.

At the beginning I don't think I was flinching. When I noticed I was doing it often, I first started wear my BB one. Now I have the K2 and I done even know it there.

[BretMan]

Wow. 80%? I guess that just goes to show you how much things can vary from one region to the next. I'd put the number in my area at less than 1%. Just going by what others have posted in similar threads, it seems like things are closer to the 1% than 80% in most places.

This past summer, I did have the opportunity to work with an ASA umpire who used a combination I'd never seen before. This was an older gentleman- someone told be he was in his mid-70's, but he seemed younger than that and was a very good umpire. He's the only umpire I've ever seen that wore a hockey-style helmet and an outside balloon chest protector!

Now that's an "old school/new school" combination for you!

[Andy]

I wear all the gear, all the time.

A buddy of mine who is a very good umpire, works the slot and doesn't flinch, but still refuses to wear a chest protector.

We were working the Men's B FP last summer and he took a foul ball right in the gut and two more in the sternum area, two of those in the same inning!

At that level, the catchers are pretty good and will generally work really hard to protect you, but there is nothing they can do about those foul balls that are hit straight back.