Youth catcher's gear provided me with some serious sticker shock last week. Many of you have read and commented on my story about having to finally say goodbye to my old friend, my catcher's mitt. This companion for several years has endured numerous repairs until it finally gave out, sending me on a shopping trip for new gear.
Shopping for new catcher's gear was not for me, but instead for my team. I needed to upgrade our gear, and although todays catchers often show up to team day with their own equipment, a coach realizes he will have kids with zero to less than adequate baseball equipment.
Shopping for a catchers mitt got out of hand and turned into a quandary as to whether I should purchase the complete catchers set also. I don't really like doing this because I like to fit the gear to the player and pawing through the shelf items I could tell that what came in the set was going to take some work depending on the kid in that position.
Lately I have been coaching 12 year old players and at that age, they come in all sizes. Most are quite big and will grow into sizable young ball players. There is always the young man who is going to be tall and lean. Long arms, perfect for firing a rocket to second, but these are also the ones most problematic in a crouch.The gear never seems to fit their lanky limbs properly. Chest protectors are usually too short for them too.
Last year our catcher was short and wide, perfect for a backstop, but he also had difficulty rising from a crouch. The gear on him had to be altered extensively as his wide girth stretched the limits of fabric. We added some Velcro because when the gear was properly fitted to this young man, he became a much better baseball catcher.
I perused the aisle, amazed at the prices for a lot of equipment that is not very good. All the major manufacturers were represented, Wilson, Easton, Rawlings. I would spend in excess of $180 for catchers equipment and I still needed to buy a mitt. The problem with a set is that you get what is in the box.
In the end, I elected to purchase the catchers gear separately. I bought 2 chest protectors, both sized differently and by different manufacturers. I have a buddy who owns a shoe shop and I could tell already he would be enlisted to add some padding under the rib perimeter area of one. The mask I bought had a throat protector and a wide frame with an open wire grid. I made sure the ears would be protected with the new styled wrap now available.
I don't buy the hockey mask type catchers helmet mask because these are too individual and sized for the player. Our budget does not allow for this so the team gear will be a helmet and mask combo. I still have not purchased a new mitt and this is an expense I am not looking forward to. The new soft leather is enticing, but I wonder if it is durable enough to last a lifetime, like my last glove. Then again, do I need a catchers glove to last another lifetime?
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