Did you make the softball team? Congratulations! Playing softball is a blast and your family will have a great time watching you and cheering you on. Here are 10 tips to be your best at softball:
1. Work on Understanding Rules In softball, rules matter and so you want to make sure you understand them thoroughly. In addition, pay attention to your coach's directions like how to use your softball cleats or shoes effectively, or how to stand on the field. 2. Work on Technique Take advantage of every opportunity to learn more from experts:
3. Good Batting Stance
4. Good Hitting
5. Practice, Practice, Practice The truth? Softball is a game that requires mental toughness and repetition. So practice just as hard as you play. Here are some practice ideas:
6. Be a Good Team Member Remember that no one can play softball alone and that everyone does better with encouragement. Be positive and remember to help other people out and give plenty of compliments and praise. 7. Communicate People can't guess what you are thinking, so be sure to communicate clearly to coaches, team members or your parents if you don't understand something. Be respectful but tell people what you need and give them a chance to respond before getting upset or angry. 8. Take Care of Your Stuff Your family has made an investment in buying you the softball equipment you need like bats, balls, gloves and shoes. Don't just throw your things down. Protect that investment from getting lost or damaged by making sure you put everything in a protective bag. You can find great softball bags here http://www.longstreth.com/softball-bags.asp 9. Take Care of the Park You will spend a lot of time at the ballpark, so keep it nice for everyone by:
10. Have a Good Attitude In sports competitions, tempers can fly. How you handle emotions is important. The best players choose to react in a positive way by staying humble and encouraging others. One last tip? Remember being your best at softball means both sharpening your game and learning how to be a great team member. Unsure what kind of softball equipment might help? Longstreth Sporting Goods specializes in outfitting female softball players and will be happy to help you get everything you need to be your best.Click here to find the best softball bats! #Softballtips, #Softball
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Have you become a softball parent? You probably love seeing your daughter excited about her sport. As you look forward to seeing her play and continue to improve her game, here's how you can help: Get the Right Equipment One of the first things parents can do is to make sure their daughters get the right softball equipment (buy it here) designed specifically for young female players. Parents can also help make sure your daughter gets the right equipment for her size, age, and position:
Get Properly Fitting Equipment Your daughter may see another player's bat and fall in love with it, but your job as a parent is to make sure she gets the equipment that is fitted to her needs. For example, buying the right softball bat depends on your daughter's:
Be Supportive Sports teach how to win and how to lose. Especially if your daughter is just starting to play, she will need support and encouragement if she does not have a good day on the field. You can also support her by helping her get in extra practice time, or by providing her with support like a pitching machine to help her practice on her own time. Be the Parent, Not the Coach While it can be helpful for a parent to help their daughter do individual practice or remind her to pack her softball sports bag, parents shouldn't try to be her coach. Besides, you'll have plenty to do just being her cheering section! Remind Your Daughter She's Playing a Game In the intensity of competitive sports, young girls can easily lose perspective and get angry, upset, or discouraged. That's where a parent can step in to help and remind her that softball is just a game and games are meant to be fun. Encourage Practice at Home Getting better at softball requires practice at home and you can help your daughter by encouraging her to set goals and keep to them. She might want to:
Turn Drills into Games Softball parents can also help their daughters by making practice a game.
#softball, #Youthsoftball, #startingsoftball Has your daughter just come home excited that she is going to be the catcher on her softball team? While you are probably celebrating that she has been chosen for such an important position, you might also be wondering how to outfit your softball catcher. What is needed?
Catcher's Mitt and Glove The catcher's mitt is not the same as other softball mitts or a baseball catcher's mitt. Fastpitch catcher's mitts are larger and have a deeper pocket to handle the size of the softball. In addition, they have thinner padding on the edges for easier catching and transferring for a throw. While durable, they take time to break in. For protection, your daughter will want to wear a softball glove inside her mitt to help absorb the shock and prevent bone bruises. Try on the glove and mitt together to be sure they are comfortable. Catchers Helmet and Mask One of the most important protective pieces of equipment is the catcher's helmet and mask. Helmet vents will keep your daughter cool while the foam padding and hard shell will protect her from the ball. Most are made in a streamlined profile to fit snugly but move with the player. Choose a helmet that feels secure as she moves but feels comfortable. Chest Protector Female catcher chest protectors are made to:
Leg Guards Leg guards will protect your daughter from the knee to her foot. When you measure for leg guards, you want to measure from the middle of the knee to the top of the foot. Knee Savers and Thumb Guard Whether your daughter wants knee savers or a thumb guard is optional. Knee savers are a block which works with the leg guard to reduce stress on knee joints. Thumb guards protect against injury in growing players or help a player who is recovering from a thumb injury. Catcher’s Bag Because your daughter is going to have to carry a lot of equipment including not only her softball cleats and body protective equipment but also her shoes and bat to and from practices and games, you probably want to get her a catcher's bag to carry it more easily. You will want a bag that is big enough for all of her gear to fit in easily so nothing gets damaged. Final Tips for Outfitting Your Catcher Make sure to try on catcher’s gear before buying! In truth, if your daughter is playing catcher, she will need more equipment than girls playing other positions. However, if she is just starting out, you don't need to spend an arm and a leg on softball catchers gear. Just make sure she has what she needs to be safe and comfortable so she can play her best. Feel like you need help? At Longstreth Sporting Goods, someone is always available to answer questions and help you make buying decisions for your softball catcher. #Softballcatchersgear, #catchersgear, #Softballgear When you step up to the batter's box, you want to have a bat that will help you deliver power and speed. It doesn't hurt to have a maximum pop too! For a long time, when they were looking for fastpitch bats, elite players chose aluminum. However, technology has changed and now composite softball bats are the top choice.
Why are Composite Softball Bats the Best? Composite bats are made from reinforced carbon fiber polymer which is not only more durable than wood or aluminum but also has:
Advantages and Disadvantages of Composite Softball Bats In fact, there are actually very few disadvantages with this type of bat. The biggest concern is that the polymers can crack if used at very low temperatures. Player safety was a concern, so rules have been established by the NCAA to make sure composite bats meet certain requirements so that after the break-in period the bat's trampoline effect remains within established safety bounds. Top Composite Bats for Softball Which composite bats are the best? Elite players want a bat that helps them perform their best when the pressure is on. Yet younger players need the confidence booster of having a great bat too. While every top player has her favorite bat, she is probably choosing between a Demarini and a Louisville Slugger. Here are two popular choices:
How to Choose a Composite Softball Bat Since a batter has only about half a second to make a decision about hitting a pitched ball, young women need the best tool in their hands that they can get. Here is how to choose a softball bat:
Young women playing sports need equipment that is developed especially to enhance their abilities. That's why Longstreth specializes in providing a wide variety of the best softball equipment for young female players. Getting a composite bat of the appropriate size, weight, and drop can help a young woman be ready for every pitch in her next game. #softball bats, #composite bats, #demarini bats, #softball Female athletes deserve equipment designed especially for them. Longstreth Sporting Goods specializes in field hockey, softball and lacrosse equipment designed for the female athlete so that the players are properly fitted with what they need to do their best, starting from their very first stick all the way to the latest technologies.
While field hockey is unfamiliar sport to some, in fact, it is one of the world's oldest team sports. Played like ice hockey except outside on turf, or inside on a hard surface, field hockey has two teams of eleven players each (ten fielders and one goalie). The players use the flat side of the field hockey stick to move a ball (rather than a puck) down the field and score points by getting it into the goal. Field Hockey Equipment Here is a run down of the basic equipment your player needs to kick start their field hockey fun! Field Hockey Sticks Required for each player is a hockey stick. These range in price from a basic stick, that can be as inexpensive as $25, to a high-tech model which can cost over $400. Advanced players use high-tech sticks in order to maximize their control, speed, and ball-handling abilities. However, basic sticks are good for beginners as they:
Field Hockey Balls Of course, you also need to have a field hockey ball in order to play the game. Most teams have balls for practice and play, but you might want some for practicing on your own so that you can improve your ball handling skills. They are not expensive, typically costing between $5-10 dollars. Truthfully, there is not as much difference between the balls as there is between the sticks. Here are the basics:
Other Equipment What else do you need? Most of the additional field hockey equipment is designed for protection. You will want to get:
Getting the Best for Female Hockey Players Excited about this up-and-coming sport? Whether you are choosing your first field hockey stick, ready to upgrade to one which includes all of the latest technologies or need to outfit yourself with the other equipment for the game, Longstreth aims to be your one-stop-shop for all field hockey gear. #FieldHockeyEquipment, #FieldHockeyGear, FHGear Congratulations! Your daughter is going to play an intense and exciting game which will challenge her to develop physical stamina, hand-eye coordination and the ability to work with her team. Here is what she is going to need to play well and keep safe: Lacrosse Stick Of course, the most important and personal piece of equipment for each player is her stick which has two parts: the handle, and the head. Both pieces come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes that give young women different advantages depending on the position they play and how they like to handle the ball. However, without knowing all the ins-and-outs of the game, how is a beginning player supposed to choose? Here are some guidelines:
ASTM Approved Lacrosse Goggles Safety is first and wearing goggles that meet the current ASTM International standards is a must to protect your daughter's eyes. Lacrosse goggles:
Mouth Guard Available in a variety of fun colors, shapes, and flavors, lacrosse mouth guards protect teeth but are lightweight and comfortable. In addition:
Lacrosse Cleats The right lacrosse footwear will help players have good traction on grass, mud, or turf. The cleats are usually designed with 4 studs on the heel and 6-8 on the front. Choose cleats that are:
Optional Lacrosse Equipment For protection or cold weather comfort, some players like to wear gloves. In addition, players often want to have their own balls for individual practice. One inexpensive but important piece of lacrosse gearfor beginners is the Cradlebaby, a lacrosse training ball attached to an lanyard-type band which allows players to practice stick work, cradling, and improve wrist strength. Worthwhile Investment Yes, buying your daughter lacrosse equipment will be an investment, but the total cost will probably be less than private lessons in many sports. Better yet, you will get the enjoyment of watching her grow in confidence, agility, and pride in her sport and her team. #lax, #lacrosse, #lacrosse gear, #lacrosse equipment |
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