Baseball is an American classic game and deeply rooted in the culture and tradition of our country. Allow us to take you on the field and just imagine the freshly cut grass, the white lines, the hotdog guy screaming, and your favorite team walking out for the first time this season. Nothing beats the tradition of baseball, and it is a tradition that many Americans pass onto their children.
Getting your kids into baseball isn’t a hard thing to do. All you need is to either take them to the game for the first time or get them their first baseball glove. But if you want to prepare your children for baseball, then that’s a whole other story and one that we will tell you all about.
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Things That You Need to Prepare Your Kid for Baseball
Source: ababaseball
1. The Glove
It goes without saying that the glove is the most important and iconic part of baseball. Because of this, you should always put extra effort into finding the perfect fitting glove for your kid. Getting him the wrong fit will ruin his/her experience with the sport, so you should never neglect the importance of it. A perfectly fitting glove, on the other hand, will allow your kid to successfully scoop up line drivers, quick, easy, and powerful throws, secure strikes, and much more.
It also goes without saying that your kid’s first glove will hold special meaning, one that will further cement his love for the sport. So because of that, never settle for a glove of poor quality as chances are the glove will stick with him forever. You can find some up-to-date reviews on baseball gloves and other baseball equipment on Bats Finder.
2. Baseball Bat
A baseball bat is yet another piece of equipment that your child cannot make it without. Even if your kid doesn’t know what role he is best at, a baseball bat will give him the chance to determine whether he wants to be batting, pitching, or catching.
If you’ve signed your kid to a youth team, chances are the team will have bats. But it goes without saying that you should get him a baseball bat that will allow him to practice when off training. And same as the glove, your kid’s first baseball bat will hold special meaning.
3. The Ball
Now that your kid has a glove and a bat, the last most important item he needs is a ball. The holy trinity of baseball cannot be complete without the actual ball, and believe us he will have the most use for it. From playing catch to improving his throwing and hitting, the ball is an important element of baseball and an even more important element when it comes to his love for the game. However, make sure to get a bunch of balls as they can quite easily get lots when practicing. Furthermore, you can take your kid whenever your team has a meet and greet and have one of the star players sign his ball.
For all you mommies out there who are more than eager to get your kids ready for the upcoming baseball season, you can visit Mattingly Baseball for a selection of the best baseball bats.
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4. The Helmet
You should never neglect the importance of a helmet in baseball, even in junior leagues. A helmet is a protective gear that every catcher wears due to safety reasons. However, a helmet can either come with a left or a right earflap and choosing it should be done based on which direction your child stands next to the bat. If your kid stands on the right side of the hitter, then get him a helmet with a right earflap. Get him a helmet with a left earflap if he stands to the hitters left. However, it should also be said that the helmet should be durable enough to withstand most types of damage.
5. Pads
Pads are pieces of equipment that your kid will thank you for getting him. Pads are required to certain positions in baseball such as the catchers. The catcher in baseball can come in contact with foul balls, wild swings, and bad pitchers. In this case, the pads will provide your kid with extra protection. Pads can come in the form of leg protectors, cups, and chests and you have other equipment such as protective masks.
Baseball apparel makes up the rest of the gear that your kid will need to get into baseball. Baseball apparel includes your standard hats, shorts, jersey, pants, and more. And subsequently, you have baseball accessories which are also quite popular in the sport. These include wristbands, arm sleeves, glove care equipment, bat care equipment, and many more.
A Word for the Parents
Source: littleleague
A major part of baseball is the fact that it should be fun for everyone. Since this article is about the things that your kid needs to get him ready for baseball, It’s safe to say that there are certainly some things that the parents must do.
We’ve all witnessed a competitive mom or dad in the stands. While baseball is a competitive sport, it shouldn’t be something that the parents should be while the game is on. There is nothing wrong with cheering for your kid, but it should be done without yelling on the field. Kids aren’t the most relaxed in these situations, and if you yell for advice then do know you’re putting your kid under extra pressure. Sportsmanship is something that should be expected not only from the players but from the crowd as well, so you should try your best to act accordingly and encourage your kid to work with his teammates.
We’ve also seen examples where parents yell at the coach. The coach is there to make the game fun and exciting for everyone watching, not to be yelled because he’s taken Kyle out of the game for three bad throws. Parents who try to fight for their kid by arguing with the coach will actually do more harm to the kid.
So apart from getting your kid the necessary equipment to prepare him for the new season, you should also be supportive and respectable on and off the field.
