Hi everyone! I'm new here, but I've been "lurking" on several occasions over the last few months. Searching and reading this forum helped me significantly in narrowing down catchers gear for my daughter for Christmas. Now, her coach tells me she needs a new mitt. (Of course! LOL)
DD is a first-year 12U player, and she is petite (maybe 4'9", 75 lbs.) so has smaller hands, too!
She has been using this Rawlings glove (32.5"), which worked great last year in 10U with the 11" ball. Now that she's receiving faster pitches with the 12" ball in 12U, her coach tells me that this glove is a bit too flimsy—he's worried about her getting injured. Also, he said it is more of a baseball-style glove, and I've noticed that with the 12" ball, if she doesn't catch it *just* right, the ball falls right out.
The question is what to get her now. I've done a lot of searching here, but have not found the right combination of advice (yet). I worry that another 32.5" glove (different style) will not be enough of a change to make a difference, plus her coach said she'll probably outgrow it within a year. But on the flip side, I worry that she won't be able to squeeze a 33" or 34" closed since her hands are small.
I tried looking for used gloves—and her coach checked with older players in the organization—and we came up empty.
Am I looking for a unicorn? Nice pocket but manageable for small hands, not impossible to break in (because again, small hands!), and not a budget-breaker? She still has quite a bit of growing to do, so I don't anticipate this is her "forever glove," but it would certainly be nice to get something that will last her more than a season or two.
DD is a first-year 12U player, and she is petite (maybe 4'9", 75 lbs.) so has smaller hands, too!
She has been using this Rawlings glove (32.5"), which worked great last year in 10U with the 11" ball. Now that she's receiving faster pitches with the 12" ball in 12U, her coach tells me that this glove is a bit too flimsy—he's worried about her getting injured. Also, he said it is more of a baseball-style glove, and I've noticed that with the 12" ball, if she doesn't catch it *just* right, the ball falls right out.
The question is what to get her now. I've done a lot of searching here, but have not found the right combination of advice (yet). I worry that another 32.5" glove (different style) will not be enough of a change to make a difference, plus her coach said she'll probably outgrow it within a year. But on the flip side, I worry that she won't be able to squeeze a 33" or 34" closed since her hands are small.
I tried looking for used gloves—and her coach checked with older players in the organization—and we came up empty.
Am I looking for a unicorn? Nice pocket but manageable for small hands, not impossible to break in (because again, small hands!), and not a budget-breaker? She still has quite a bit of growing to do, so I don't anticipate this is her "forever glove," but it would certainly be nice to get something that will last her more than a season or two.
