Gear for new catcher

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Jul 16, 2018
120
18
First set of gear I bought my daughter was https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/...set-16adiyddssmllctchctc/16adiyddssmllctchctc

Worked like a charm for 3 years (wore it for 8u,9u and and fall of 10u) bought new gear for the spring/summer and coach wouldnt let her catch. lol the set I posted with some knee savers is really all you need to do if you must buy new.

As someone else said - check a local PIAS- you can piece together a cheap set or they do you have new as well.
 
Apr 10, 2017
1
1
My DS uses the All-Star system 7 helmet and chest protector and loves them. He is smaller for his age though and the system 7 shin guards are too wide and bulky for him so he uses Easton shin guards. For safety it’s hard to beat the All-Star helmets.
 
Oct 11, 2018
5
3
Mississippi
My 12 year old DD is 5' 130 lbs and loves the Intermediate S7 Axis gear and 33.5" Vela duel-pro catching mitt from All-Star. As far as All-Star customer service goes... she had a D-ring strap come off one of her leg guards this summer and they sent a new pair without having to return the damaged one. We will stick with these until next fall. One of her catching coaches is in the process of designing new gear with Easton for females. She will have to check the fit when they come out next fall and then make a decision.Addison Catching.jpg
 
May 16, 2016
946
93
Dd just joined a new travel team. They are all first year 10u, technically 9u I suppose. She has been playing 3rd for about a year but at practice last night the coach had her suit up and try catching. Even though she is one of the smallest girls she has just about the strongest arm and definitely the most accurate so that was his reason for having her try it. She did really well at throw downs to second and third and now he wants her to give it a go. Having said all that, I am not thrilled about it because of her size. She is 50lbs on a good day and I can just picture some 10 yo twice her size trucking over her at the plate. Any suggestions on gear? Especially helmets. I read some of the earlier posts about helmets but don't know much about catchers gear. We are affiliated with the Louisville Lady Sluggers and get a discount on any of Wilson Sporting Goods products or the other companies that they own if any of their products are worth looking at.

Does your DD WANT to catch? If that is not something she really WANTS, then she is going to be miserable after a few tournaments. Don't let TB coach push her into catching, if that is not something she really wants to do. Long term, team is better off developing a catcher who loves catching... Long term, you DD is better off developing at positions she wants to play.

At a 10u tryout many years ago... after pitchers tried out, they asked for catchers to raise hands... My DD raised her hand (she was coming from rec ball where you played everywhere rotating every inning), she had never expressed any interest in being a catcher before. I looked at her, and said... that is great you want to catch! But, if you are selected as a catcher, you will catch for entire games... maybe the entire tournament. She thought about that for a moment... and sheepishly pulled her hand back down.
 
Dec 5, 2017
514
63
Does your DD WANT to catch? If that is not something she really WANTS, then she is going to be miserable after a few tournaments. Don't let TB coach push her into catching, if that is not something she really wants to do. Long term, team is better off developing a catcher who loves catching... Long term, you DD is better off developing at positions she wants to play.

At a 10u tryout many years ago... after pitchers tried out, they asked for catchers to raise hands... My DD raised her hand (she was coming from rec ball where you played everywhere rotating every inning), she had never expressed any interest in being a catcher before. I looked at her, and said... that is great you want to catch! But, if you are selected as a catcher, you will catch for entire games... maybe the entire tournament. She thought about that for a moment... and sheepishly pulled her hand back down.

Unfortunately, we are no longer with the team. As we soon found out, the coach had a problem with making promises he had no intention of keeping. At the time dd very much wanted to catch. After coach approached us after practice and asked her to really consider it because he supposedly really wanted her to catch, she told him yes at the next practice and he proceeded to never let her catch. That was the first of many things that led to half the team leaving after our last fall tournament. She was already working on pitching so now we are focused on that and learning to slap hit. Thanks.
 

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