A glove is the second most expensive piece of equipment most players will buy. Thankfully, if you get the right glove, it will last for a very long time!
Generally speaking, gloves are like cars. You can get a Chevy, a Buick or a Cadillac. What makes one better than the others?
Bigger is Better – Within Reason!
Corner infielders – third and first basemen – usually sport slightly larger gloves than their middle infield teammates. Most corners use a glove between 11 1/2 and 12 1/2 inches. As always, the key is that your player is getting ball out of her glove quickly and cleanly.
Some first basemen use a first basemen’s mitt rather than a fielding glove. This style of mitt has a close design where you don’t see individual fingers. This makes it easier for a first baseman to scoop the ball out of the dirt on a errant throw. Sometimes called a “trapper” these mitts are larger than the typical fielding glove. The trade off with the trapper is that the size of the glove makes it difficult to field and throw quickly.
About the Author: Tory Acheson brings a wealth of knowledge to the Fastpitch Prep staff. He has coached at all levels of the game, including the last 25 years at the college level at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, Tennessee Tech and Kennesaw State. He began his coaching career at the high school level spending 9 years Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wis. and is now working as a professional softball instructor.
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