Wearing a pelvic guard or jill is optional on some teams and mandatory on others.
The point of the guard is to protect our pelvis including our vulva from being hit by a ball during play. If you’ve ever been hit, you know its super painful!
It is always a good idea to wear a pelvic guard but they can be annoying and some girls prefer to play without one. Often the complaints are that it feels strange to have something between your legs. The complaints can range from just not liking it to feeling uncomfortable wearing the jill strap.
The best way to know is to ask your coach. Some teams don’t require any members to wear the guard but you can still wear one if you want to. Other teams require only the catcher to wear a pelvic guard. Some teams and leagues require all players to wear a guard for games.
If your team does require you to wear a pelvic guard its not a big deal – all the other girls will be wearing them too so you won’t be the only one.
How do I convince the players on my softball team to wear one.
You start by explaining that its doing to keep them safer – and that everyone will wear one. A lot of times it feels nervous to be the only person wearing one so if the whole team is going to do it, everyone will feel more comfy. Pretty soon its just part of being on the team.
Thanks for the information. My thinking is for at least the catcher to wear one. Which brands are best?
The catcher NEEDS to wear one. Its silly for a catcher to not be protected. But really, its more fair for the whole team to wear one.
What brands do you recommend? Do you wear one?
I’ve worn a couple different brands. They all feel weird but they all protect us. A lot of teens prefer the purple one because purple looks kinda cool. But really, any guard will do.
Is it more comfortable to wear the Jill strap over sliding shorts or in a cup pocket?
Its best to not wear it overtop of anything. Just wear it as it comes out of the package. Some are built into shorts while others are more basic. Either way if you wear it over something else its going to bunch up and feel gross.
What position(s) do you play?
I haven’t played. One of the other contributors was second base.
What other sports would a woman wear a pelvic guard for?
Common for hockey and lacrosse as well. Sometimes for other things but those three are the big ones.
I’d imagine it’s required for lacrosse and field hockey goalies
For sure, anything where there could be impact between our legs that would cause trouble.