Metal Cleats in Softball

[catsbackr]

A couple of years back, when the TSSAA along with the NFHS, allowed metal cleats in high school softball, there were many, many fears.

 

What has the past few years shown everyone regarding metal cleats in high school softball?

[Lions4ever]

I personally have only seen one bad outcome from metal cleats. Three years ago a centerfielder from Westview got her metal cleat hung in the centerfield fence trying to keep a ball from going out. Snapped her leg like a twig...pretty gruesome. But I've seen lots of broken legs/ankles and blown out knees from bad slides in rubber cleats, so I'm not sure the metal ones are anymore likely to cause injury (except for being cut from the metal cleat)than the rubber ones.

[catsbackr]

Hummm, not a very hot topic anymore I guess.

 

I remember a couple of years ago, we had a 15-20 page topic on CoachT about metal cleats and the carnage that would result.

 

I guess I was right all along, much ado about nothing!

[JC#1fan]

Hummm, not a very hot topic anymore I guess.

 

I remember a couple of years ago, we had a 15-20 page topic on CoachT about metal cleats and the carnage that would result.

 

I guess I was right all along, much ado about nothing!

As usual things change and nobody likes it not even me. I have seen several devastating injuries since the change to metal cleats some career ending. I think now the girls are learning to go in "cleatsup" which reduces the injury rate for the offensive player and reduces the severity of possible injuries, although a well placed cleat in the shin hurts it usually does not break anything. The injury rate has and will fall as the girls become usedd snap to them. I watched a young lady snap her knee trying to stop in a run down. I was sitting down the third base line when she turned for home and planted to turn back and saw her knee twist and snap. One of the most gruesome things Ihave seen in high school sports. Unfortunately it ended her career as she was a catcher and no longer had the flexability after surgery to get up and down effeciantly enough for the next level. The only advantage these cleats give is in bad field conditions.

[tradertwo]

As usual things change and nobody likes it not even me. I have seen several devastating injuries since the change to metal cleats some career ending. I think now the girls are learning to go in "cleatsup" which reduces the injury rate for the offensive player and reduces the severity of possible injuries, although a well placed cleat in the shin hurts it usually does not break anything. The injury rate has and will fall as the girls become usedd snap to them. I watched a young lady snap her knee trying to stop in a run down. I was sitting down the third base line when she turned for home and planted to turn back and saw her knee twist and snap. One of the most gruesome things Ihave seen in high school sports. Unfortunately it ended her career as she was a catcher and no longer had the flexability after surgery to get up and down effeciantly enough for the next level. The only advantage these cleats give is in bad field conditions.

Same here.No place for metal in high school,"bad"field conditions are same for everyone,and too many scnerios for injuries with planted feet that don't "slip" even when pressures on knees,ankles,ect...dictate that it's necessary.Sliding baserunners have indeed learned the "high cleat" method is best for avoiding sprains and ligament damage,but increase danger to defensive players hands,arms,and lower legs.The female body is graphicaly different than males,and is more injury prone due to angles of hip to knee joints(proven fact).In all other aspects of life the current trend is to gravitate more toward safety,especially in underage kids,yet the T.S.S.A.A. condones using equiptment with little real advantages over the safer synthetic option.

[bluesfan]

Same here.No place for metal in high school,"bad"field conditions are same for everyone,and too many scnerios for injuries with planted feet that don't "slip" even when pressures on knees,ankles,ect...dictate that it's necessary.Sliding baserunners have indeed learned the "high cleat" method is best for avoiding sprains and ligament damage,but increase danger to defensive players hands,arms,and lower legs.The female body is graphicaly different than males,and is more injury prone due to angles of hip to knee joints(proven fact).In all other aspects of life the current trend is to gravitate more toward safety,especially in underage kids,yet the T.S.S.A.A. condones using equiptment with little real advantages over the safer synthetic option.

The biggest problem , a few years back, when metal cleats first appeared in high school ball , was that NO players had ever had them on their feet before. They had grown up in rubber and were used to doing things you just simply cannot do in metal. There was little to NO instruction by high school coaches concerning the transition and some girls really got hurt. I think the lack of instruction was a major problem. I do know for a fact some really good players got hurt and never got back to 100%. I know of one who is still, after 4 years, has steel rods in her ankle and permanent ligament damage. Some girls were seriously scarred. I remember seeing a 6 " gash on one shortstops leg from a run in at 2nd.

[tradertwo]

The biggest problem , a few years back, when metal cleats first appeared in high school ball , was that NO players had ever had them on their feet before. They had grown up in rubber and were used to doing things you just simply cannot do in metal. There was little to NO instruction by high school coaches concerning the transition and some girls really got hurt. I think the lack of instruction was a major problem. I do know for a fact some really good players got hurt and never got back to 100%. I know of one who is still, after 4 years, has steel rods in her ankle and permanent ligament damage. Some girls were seriously scarred. I remember seeing a 6 " gash on one shortstops leg from a run in at 2nd.

Precisley what I was speaking of.Even with proper instruction the risk is still present,and needless.Games are rarely played in contidions that warrent metal cleats,and even a minute percentage of kids suffering such injuries is too much risk for the potential advantage(which is nil in average field conditions).When I played (baseball) I suffered a high sprain from a slide into second,with a full recovery time of 2+ months,and a teammate blew a knee(ACL,MCL,miniscus) rounding third...he's 48 now and still has a limp.Ladies please resist the urge to go metal and wear the synthetic models,hopefuly you'll never know if they saved you from an injury.

[JD29]

Same here.No place for metal in high school,"bad"field conditions are same for everyone,and too many scnerios for injuries with planted feet that don't "slip" even when pressures on knees,ankles,ect...dictate that it's necessary.Sliding baserunners have indeed learned the "high cleat" method is best for avoiding sprains and ligament damage,but increase danger to defensive players hands,arms,and lower legs.The female body is graphicaly different than males,and is more injury prone due to angles of hip to knee joints(proven fact).In all other aspects of life the current trend is to gravitate more toward safety,especially in underage kids,yet the T.S.S.A.A. condones using equiptment with little real advantages over the safer synthetic option.

 

Metal cleats are hands down better than plastic or rubber cleats - first of all - at the end of the season they aren't worn out - you can get a spring summer and fall out of a pair of cleats and if your foot isn't growing you can probably get two full seasons out of the shoes. Growing up from the age of 13 that's all we wore. From playing summer, HS and college ball the only injury I had was I got stepped on while sliding to break up a double play - tore my toe nail up pretty good but didn't miss any time. Girls are prone to knee injuries due to factors a little more complex than steel cleats - it could happen in tennis shoes and does quite frequently on the basketball court. Try digging into a batters box when its hard as a brick with rubber cleats... Try leveling a high spot around the mound or homeplate with rubber cleats - won't work... just because all most people know is rubber/plastic doesn't make that the best option - IMHO

[JC#1fan]

Metal cleats are hands down better than plastic or rubber cleats - first of all - at the end of the season they aren't worn out - you can get a spring summer and fall out of a pair of cleats and if your foot isn't growing you can probably get two full seasons out of the shoes. Growing up from the age of 13 that's all we wore. From playing summer, HS and college ball the only injury I had was I got stepped on while sliding to break up a double play - tore my toe nail up pretty good but didn't miss any time. Girls are prone to knee injuries due to factors a little more complex than steel cleats - it could happen in tennis shoes and does quite frequently on the basketball court. Try digging into a batters box when its hard as a brick with rubber cleats... Try leveling a high spot around the mound or homeplate with rubber cleats - won't work... just because all most people know is rubber/plastic doesn't make that the best option - IMHO

So we are willing to exchange the health of an athlete (potentially career ending, or life changing) for the extra costs of a set of cleats, interesting. I am not saying metal cleats are the Devil, but why would we expose athletes to a greater risk? I agree female athletes are more prone to injuries to the joints, why increase that potential?

[JD29]

So we are willing to exchange the health of an athlete (potentially career ending, or life changing) for the extra costs of a set of cleats, interesting. I am not saying metal cleats are the Devil, but why would we expose athletes to a greater risk? I agree female athletes are more prone to injuries to the joints, why increase that potential?

 

 

Brother - you can end your career getting out of your car to walk in the house. My point exposed the myth you seem to want to propagate. Life changing?? RE diculous... hahahaha

[tradertwo]

Brother - you can end your career getting out of your car to walk in the house. My point exposed the myth you seem to want to propagate. Life changing?? RE diculous... hahahaha

I'm confused...what was the point made,and what was the myth?As far as life changing,not rediculous at all,I've had the surgery for "the big three" and it was definately life changing.

[catsbackr]

 

Precisley what I was speaking of.Even with proper instruction the risk is still present,and needless.Games are rarely played in contidions that warrent metal cleats,and even a minute percentage of kids suffering such injuries is too much risk for the potential advantage(which is nil in average field conditions).When I played (baseball) I suffered a high sprain from a slide into second,with a full recovery time of 2+ months,and a teammate blew a knee(ACL,MCL,miniscus) rounding third...he's 48 now and still has a limp.Ladies please resist the urge to go metal and wear the synthetic models,hopefuly you'll never know if they saved you from an injury.

I still get a kick out of reading how girls have to be properly instructed on how to wear a pair of shoes.

Edited December 25, 2012 by catsbackr