By Ian Holmes

Nanaimo softball league makes helmets mandatory

Aug 29, 2017 | 3:37 PM

NANAIMO — Hundreds of Nanaimo softball players will be mandated to wear helmets as of next April while batting and running the bases.

An email from Nanaimo Slo Pitch spring league president Caron Usher stated helmets will be mandatory in the spring league at McGirr Sports Fields as of 2018.

“Over the past few years we have seen a growing amount of players getting hit in the head from throws while running the bases,” Usher’s email said, which was sent to representatives of the 43 impacted teams.

The helmet rule decision was made by the Nanaimo Slo Pitch board of directors on Sunday, Aug. 27.

The spring league at McGirr Sports Fields covers roughly 500 players across five divisions of co-ed and men’s teams, who play Monday to Friday from April through the end of July.

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Players can currently step up to bat without helmets in the fall league and tournaments at McGirr Sports Fields.

Usher referenced a recent serious accident in Courtenay in her statement.

A 32-year-old Comox man remains in a Victoria hospital on life support after he was hit in the head by a ball while trying to run out an infield ground ball on Aug. 19.

Several other Vancouver Island slow pitch organizations acted swiftly to make helmets just as necessary as wearing a glove.

Al Willsie, a longtime spring league player at McGirr Sports Fields, fully supports the incoming helmet rule. Willsie told NanaimoNewsNOW he’s personally had several “close calls” of running the bases and balls narrowly missing his unprotected head.

“When you’re running to first or second people want to get the ball there quick and they throw it and sometimes it’s offline…there are those times where people (base runners) get hit in the side, back, neck or in the head.”

Willsie said spring league competition at McGirr Sports Fields has gotten noticeably more competitive over the years, which is another reason a mandatory helmet rule is the right move.

“It sends a message that they want to be safe and they’re looking out for their players,” Willsie said.

Ian.holmes@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @reporterholmes