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So my 'lil Victoria wants to play softball this fall for her school. We want to get her what she needs this summer so we can play a bit at home before the season starts to break in her glove, etc.

I've never played softball and have only a rudimentary understanding of softball/baseball so I'm not quite sure where to start.

She is 8 (will be 9 when the season starts).

Soooo, what do I need to do? How do I pick a glove? Bat? How many balls <snicker> should I get?


THANKS!!!!!

buffettbride wrote:So my 'lil Victoria wants to play softball this fall for her school. We want to get her what she needs this summer so we can play a bit at home before the season starts to break in her glove, etc.

I've never played softball and have only a rudimentary understanding of softball/baseball so I'm not quite sure where to start.

She is 8 (will be 9 when the season starts).

Soooo, what do I need to do? How do I pick a glove? Bat? How many balls <snicker> should I get?


THANKS!!!!!

you can actually buy gloves that are broken in already...i would suggest that or u will be having a heck of a time breaking it in...my last glove was washed with shaving cream...soaked in a bucket of water for a week...put in the oven...all sorts of crazy stuff....

for younger girls they usually use smaller softballs...so i would check with the coach and see...for the bat...i wouldnt buy a bat just use the teams...they are expensive and if shes that young will grow out of it....

Do you have a "Play it again Sports" store in your area? It sells second hand stuff which is perfect to start with.

if u need nething else...pm me or whatnot...i can call my dad...he coaches...and has taught my two sisters and i how to play...

ToplessRideFL wrote:Do you have a "Play it again Sports" store in your area? It sells second hand stuff which is perfect to start with.

yep. that's where we were going to check first.

PIA wrote:

buffettbride wrote:So my 'lil Victoria wants to play softball this fall for her school. We want to get her what she needs this summer so we can play a bit at home before the season starts to break in her glove, etc.

I've never played softball and have only a rudimentary understanding of softball/baseball so I'm not quite sure where to start.

She is 8 (will be 9 when the season starts).

Soooo, what do I need to do? How do I pick a glove? Bat? How many balls <snicker> should I get?


THANKS!!!!!

you can actually buy gloves that are broken in already...i would suggest that or u will be having a heck of a time breaking it in...my last glove was washed with shaving cream...soaked in a bucket of water for a week...put in the oven...all sorts of crazy stuff....

for younger girls they usually use smaller softballs...so i would check with the coach and see...for the bat...i wouldnt buy a bat just use the teams...they are expensive and if shes that young will grow out of it....

i have no idea who coaches so should be interesting figuring out what size balls <snicker> to get.

she wants to practice this summer, so we need some kind of bat. if we can pick up a used one, though, that would be sufficient. it will eventually get used by her 'lil bro as well.

had to offer to this . .

. .the biggest thing for little ones just starting out , is to learn not to be afraid of the ball coming at them . . .

. .for starters. . I would buy a softball size wiffle ball . . and just practice throwing it to her with her glove on . . .many, many times. . . .and sometimes HARD. . .

. .the natural reaction is to flinch away . .so this will help a lot . .

balcony girls wrote:had to offer to this . .

. .the biggest thing for little ones just starting out , is to learn not to be afraid of the ball coming at them . . .

. .for starters. . I would buy a softball size wiffle ball . . and just practice throwing it to her with her glove on . . .many, many times. . . .and sometimes HARD. . .

. .the natural reaction is to flinch away . .so this will help a lot . .

bg its 11:30!!! goooo

Unless she's going to be the catcher or first basegirl just get a regular fielder's glove.

balcony girls wrote:had to offer to this . .

. .the biggest thing for little ones just starting out , is to learn not to be afraid of the ball coming at them . . .

. .for starters. . I would buy a softball size wiffle ball . . and just practice throwing it to her with her glove on . . .many, many times. . . .and sometimes HARD. . .

. .the natural reaction is to flinch away . .so this will help a lot . .

that's a good idea. she definitely needs to work on her "oomf." although, she's played quite a bit of softball in gym class (and evidently does very well because that's why she asked if she could play for her school in the fall). she's gone 3 for 3 at bat a few times and she's all sorts of excited.

LIPH wrote:Unless she's going to be the catcher or first basegirl just get a regular fielder's glove.

I don't know for certain, but I think at her level (Widget) that coaches (edited: not parents) are the pitchers and catchers. I don't think until JV (5th grade) do they have students pitch or catch. I could be wrong, though. My guess is she'll be 2nd or 3rd base.

Thanks!

The most important thing to remember - the object of the game is to win. Forget all this crap about having fun. You can have fun before the game starts or after it's over. When you're on the field the other team is your enemy. I think that's why I got injured so often when I played sports.

So not everyone has about 10 bats, countless balls, and 3 gloves in their garages from their many years of playing? Mine would all be too big and hard for a beginner though.

LIPH wrote:The most important thing to remember - the object of the game is to win. Forget all this crap about having fun. You can have fun before the game starts or after it's over. When you're on the field the other team is your enemy. I think that's why I got injured so often when I played sports.

We've had 2 experiences with sports team this year. Her BBall team was totally annhiliated all season long. They only won 2 games. One was a forfeit and the other she didn't play in, so every single game she went to, they lost. The coach wasn't so great and Victoria didn't really get a feel for how the game should be played. However, it was quite humbling for her as she has had nothing but success in everything else she tried.

The second is the volleyball season she's currently wrapping up. She spent all but 2 games on the sidelines with a broken wrist. Now the cast is off and there's a tournament this weekend and next. Her team is 8-1 and in first place. They have a really good chance at taking it. The volleyball coach is absolutely AMAZING and there is some real talent on the team.

I asked her which she liked better; basketball and volleyball. She told me volleyball, so I asked her why. She said, "Because we win."

Tiki Bar wrote:So not everyone has about 10 bats, countless balls, and 3 gloves in their garages from their many years of playing? Mine would all be too big and hard for a beginner though.

I'm sure we will accumulate over the years, especially when Tony starts playin' and stuff.

Has she learned to eat sun flower seeds and spit yet? That's really important.

Don't forget to teach her to scratch in certain areas before she steps into the batters box. Very important!

Tiki Bar wrote: Mine would all be too big and hard for a beginner though.

rednekkPH wrote:

Tiki Bar wrote: Mine would all be too big and hard for a beginner though.

Oh good...I'm not the only who saw that.
The fact that it was Frank does trouble me a bit though.

I've coached Carie's team for several years. Just a basic glove is all you want. Wal-mart has a colored mesh looking material glove that does not need to be broken in and is much less expensive than leather gloves. Good place to start until you know her level of conviction to the sport.

Teach her to throw and catch is the key at this level, the other stuff will come. I would use the regular regulation ball and start close up and work back. My biggest fight has been to get the girls to not "throw like girls". In other words, for a right handed girl, the left shoulder pointed towards the target so she isn't fighting her own body to be accurate. i always tell the girls, "If I can read your t-shirt, you are not throwing right" Getting good fundamentals of catching and throwing at 9, will put her way ahead.

Wal-Mart also carrys Hit-A-Way. If you have a pole (not your dancing one) you can attach this too, I think it is a good investment ($18 on sale, reg.-$25-ish) Good basics on a swing I used at 9 y/o was I pretended to nail their back foot to the ground and stride into the swing with only the front foot (but not too much) swing level and not too hard. And just try to make contact and let the bat do the work