A prime example of advantageous physical activity is sports. Playing sports not only provides players with the same benefits as other forms of exercise but also provides an unparalleled fun element to it. Some players even feel “distracted” by the sport so much so that they hardly even recognize that they’re exercising!
However, there is one downfall of playing most sports: the high chance of injury. Softball, in particular, has a relatively high chance of injury for both offensive and defensive players alike.
In order to disallow yourself from injury in the sport of softball, you need to wear the right protective gear. Let’s take a look at all the softball protective gear available, both mandatory and optional pieces, so you can protect yourself correctly.
Mandatory Protective Gear
First and foremost, let’s “dive” into the protective gear for softball players that are mandatory: batting helmets, gloves, and catcher’s gear.
Batting Helmets
When entering the batter’s box, all players are required to wear a helmet. Depending on the governing body of the tournament/league you play in, regulations can vary. For example, almost all require a cage on the front of the helmet in order to protect the player’s face.
Gloves
When you walk onto the diamond, you are required to have a fielding glove. You should have one that is applicable to your particular position, such as pitcher, catcher, first base, infield, or outfield. Equipping yourself with the proper glove will properly protect you from getting hurt by the ball (it will also allow you to play your position effectively).
This is because some have extra padding in the most injury-prone areas that other gloves don’t have. The catcher’s mitt, for example, has extra padding all around, is shaped more like a mitten, and snaps shut easily (this protects your hand and improves your defensive game).
Catcher’s Gear
Speaking of catcher’s mitts, catchers are required to wear specific pieces of equipment to keep them safe from harm. These include a catcher’s mask, chest protector, and leg guards. All of these elements keep the catcher efficiently protected from the ball, bats, and diving players.
Optional Yet Helpful Protective Gear
Now that we have gone over the mandatory softball protective gear, let’s investigate the voluntary (but extremely helpful) options.
Elbow, Shin, and Ankle Guards
In the batter’s box, you are privy to all sorts of injury in various bodily locations. Protect your elbow and/or ankle with elbow, shin, and ankle guards to ensure you don’t damage these delicate and injury-prone body parts!
Sliding Pads, Mitts, and Shorts
When you are sliding into any base on the field, you need to properly protect yourself from the hard ground, rocks, and even defensive players attempting to stop you. That is why it is recommended that certain players protect themselves with sliding gear, such as sliding knee pads, sliding mitts, and even sliding shorts.
Catcher’s Thumb Guard
Catching a hard-thrown or hard-driven ball, your thumb is prone to get hurt–or at the very least painfully stung–even inside the catcher’s mitt. That is why wearing a thumb guard beneath the mitt could greatly reduce your chances of anything, from sting to injury.
Catcher’s Mask Throat Guard
As helpful as the catcher’s set can be, it still leaves catchers’ throats wide open. Protect your throat efficiently with a mask throat guard, which clips to your mask and dangles over your throat (this also has the added bonus of allowing easy mask removal for certain plays!).
Are you ready to protect yourself on the diamond? Then “slide” into HbSports’ softball protective gear catalog to find the most dependable, sturdy, and efficient equipment out there. If you have any questions, give them a call at 888-540-BATS.
