| When your team is fielding, you will wear a glove on your non-throwing hand. Gloves come in many different sizes and a leather glove is best, but you should get a glove that fits your hand and is comfortable. A glove is designed to protect your hand when you are catching a ball. |
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The catcher and first baseman use mitts because they catch more balls more often. The modified glove called a mitt has an enlarged pocket to catch balls easier. |
| A softball is made of rubber or leather on the outside and cork on the inside. The usual size for a fastpitch softball is about eleven to twelve inches in diameter. It weighs about six or seven ounces. |
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A small, light aluminum bat is better for a junior player (ages 12-15). The ideal size of a bat is twenty-eight inches, and twenty-four ounces. However, you should find a bat that feels best and fits you. |
| For safety, the batter, catcher, and base runners must wear a helmet. The helmet should cover your ears. Usually, all helmets have a mask on the front and an official stamp. Before a game starts, the umpires must check every helmet and bat that the team will use to make sure everything has the stamp on it. |
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Batting gloves are an optional piece of equipment. Many people wear them and they are very helpful. Batting gloves help prevent blisters, protect your hands when you slide, and if you wear them, you will have a better grip on the bat. |
| All teams have an official uniform. Some teams wear pants, socks, a shirt and a visor. Most fastpitch teams have uniforms that consist of a shirt, a visor, shorts that go down to the knees, socks that go up to right below the knee, and sliding shorts. Sliding shorts protect your legs when you slide into a base. They are usually just shorts with extra padding around your thigh. |
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Cleats are also optional when you are younger, but as the level of play increases , cleats (spikes) become almost necessary. Cleats are extremely helpful, especially in grass or wet fields. They give added grip when running, batting and fielding. |
| Once again, a bat bag is also optional, but most people prefer to have one. It simply holds all of your equipment and that way, you don't have to. |
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Catchers gear is very important in fastpitch. The catcher is very alert because they touch the ball almost every play. To be safe, the catcher has many different pieces of equipment she must wear. |
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They include: a chest protector, leg and ankle protectors (shin guards), knees savers are optional, but keep the catchers knees from hurting a lot and lastly, a helmet with a face mask and a throat protector. |
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