what size of bat?

[3DD'sDAD]

I coach a 16U team and am "manager" of the organization's 18U team. The girls I have coached in the last few years understand that bigger bats don't mean bigger hits. Some of the new girls this year want to use 34/28 bats and they really can't handle them but they say things like "last year I hit fine with them". Last year they played in what would be '"select ball" and the pitchers probably couldn't get the speed up to 50 and their swings reflect that. I have some time and can hopefully change their swings for the better.

The 18U coach wonders why I would purchase a 33/23 bat for that team. Some of the girls aren't that big (5' 3" to 5' 5") and wouldn't be able to handle a bigger bat IMHO. Last season, for the most part the 16U team used 32/22 and 33/22 or 23 with a few exceptions.

My question is what size bats are most 16U and 18U teams using? I realize that bats are an individual preference, but there must be an "average" size for girls at this age. I seem to recall that most college girls are using 33" bats and some 32"?

Any advice relative to how I convince these girls to use lighter and livelier bats? My 15 Y/O uses Demarini CF4 black 32/22 and my 17 Y/O uses an Easton CXN (something like that) 33/23. They both handle the bat well. Some of these girls and their parents don't want to listen - imagine that!

 

[cwestwjg]

I had a 9YO come in the other day with her new bat that mom and her picked out. This girl is 4'5 and maybe 75 pounds with a 32/22 Clarity. I am in the same position, how do you tell a single mom that she just dropped 200 bucks on a bat that her daughter will never touch a pitch with?

I just can't break their little hearts when they have such big smils on their faces but I know she is never going to get it around on a pitch.

 

[lkgrge17]

I have been there. Kids showing up with bats too big. I try to talk them into using a bat that is suited for their size. Leave the bat sizing chart in your bag to show these kids and their parents. They usually do not listen until they fail....it may take a few games of bad at bats before they want to listen. At that time I will let them use one of my dd bats or maybe another kid on the team with a good bat, right size. Some kids will not let anyone else use their bat so always ask the kid first. I have seen some kids do the right thing and make the switch. Most are stubborn though. Best to talk to parent (real smoothlike) first. Kids get real defensive when struggling. Good Luck......

 

[shockcoach]

I talk bats at my initial parent meeting. I tell the parents to see me before purchasing that $200-$300 bat for their kid. I have plenty of different types and sizes of bats the girls can swing. After a few hitting practices it becomes quite apparent which sized bat is best for them.

 

[amanda_cake]

I have the exact opposite problem. I'm helping coach a younger team (13U) and the kids constantly come in with bats that are too small. When I was 13, I was swinging a 32 (and I've been 5 feet tall since I was about 12, haven't grown any!). The kids, some of which are bigger than me, are swinging 31s... I just feel like they don't get enough coverage with that.

I swing 32s and I have a 33 Catalyst. I feel like I've just gotten so I can handle that properly and I'm doing good with it. I'm not the tallest kid but I'm... sturdy.

 

[absdad]

They say you should swing the longest, heaviest bat that you can maintain your swing speed with. My dd is about 4'10" and has a 31/21. I don't think it's so much about the lengths, as it is the drop.

 

[softballphreak]

When a 23 oz. bat (or a 22 oz. for that matter) will send the ball well over 210' for a batter who is strong enough to swing it it just doesn't make sense to me why a batter wants to swing a 24-28 oz. bat. What sense does that make?

 

[lefty16]

I'm 5'5", I've just turned 18 and have been swinging a 34/24 for a couple of years. I think the best way of finding the right size is to try as many bats as possible. That said, I don't understand why someone would want to swing a heavier bat when the lighter bats can produce just as much pop as their heavier counterparts.

 

[SoftSocDad]

I had a 9YO come in the other day with her new bat that mom and her picked out. This girl is 4'5 and maybe 75 pounds with a 32/22 Clarity. I am in the same position, how do you tell a single mom that she just dropped 200 bucks on a bat that her daughter will never touch a pitch with?

I just can't break their little hearts when they have such big smils on their faces but I know she is never going to get it around on a pitch.

Unless they have money to burn, anyone who would spend $200 on a bat for a 9yo has bigger problems than the bat.

A kid that size should probably be swinging a 28/19 or 28/18. Tell her she can get an Easton Cyclone at Sports Authority for 35 bucks. Hopefully she'll have success now and will stick with the game until she's big enough to use her big girl bat in a few years.

 

[obbay]

They say you should swing the longest, heaviest bat that you can maintain your swing speed with

I don't know about longest, but I've definitely heard to swing the heaviest bat you can swing fast.
Length is something that a LOT of people overlook when buying bats. they get all hung up on drops and weight but don't pay enough attention to length. A broomstick doesn't weigh much but it would be hard to swing fast.
A girl on my U16 team got a 33" for Xmas and she should be swinging a 32" (DD is 5'-0" and swings a 32 and this girl is shorter). she was struggling at first but she's older and is adjusting. Got her a knob cuff and that seems to help.

A few years ago I had a 9 yo all excited because she got a new bat- 34"! I tried to talk her out of using it but she wouldn't hear of it, her parents bought it for her and she loved the look of the big, new bat. never hit the ball again. ( I don't remember the conversation with the parents)