Posts Tagged ‘softball shoes’
So Much Stuff!
My daughter started playing softball last year, and it’s amazing how much equipment is required for beginning a new sport. I never realized how expensive it is to get into a new sport. Before her first practice, I had to buy her more than $200 in supplies. She needed softball turf shoes, a helmet, a gear bag, a uniform, knee guards, and countless other things.
When she found out she would be the catcher, I was happy for her. But I was soon saddened to hear I would have to purchase her even more gear. It turned out catchers needed chest protectors, leg guards and a special face protector! On top of that, during the first game my daughter’s right baseball turf shoe got chewed up by our family dog and I ended up having to buy her a new pair!
Softball and baseball are relatively unique among sports in that players are forced to switch seamlessly between surfaces. Basketball players stick to concrete, tile or wood floors, and football players know going into a game whether they will be playing on natural grass or field turf. In softball, a player must be prepared to transition from grass to dirt and back again at a moment’s notice.
As such, it’s crucial that a softball player have a pair of softball cleats. Cleats are especially useful for wet, slippery conditions because they aid in the gripping process. Some situations – such as an indoor game – are better suited for turf shoes, which are really just slightly modified sneakers. Cleats help baserunners gain traction outdoors, and they boost an outfielder’s ability to scramble toward a fly ball.