Equipment1

Bats
The correct bat for the player is determined by: Age and physical make up, for best results ask the experts at Sporting Goods Store - like 'Buckner's Source for Sports' or Front Row Sports.

The League encourages all players to purchase their own helmets. The sharing of helmets is a potential health concern and we advise against the sharing of batting helmets. The helmets need to be CSA approved and fit snugly to ensure safety. Buckner’s Source for Sports at 545 Welland Ave. in St. Catharines is our official supplier and they offer a 10% discount to all St. Catharines Ladies Softball League members. Front Row Sports, in Thorold, carry a complete selection of Helmets.

Players Gloves

Check for fit; it should fell fairly snug when adjusted. Check to make sure the glove adjusts to your hand.

Feel the leather. It should be fairly sturdy to sturdy. A stiffer glove will have to be broken in but once done; the glove will be serviceable for many seasons. The softer “pre-broken” in gloves feel great, but most of them wear out very quickly and may be difficult to repair. Beware of gloves that are marked with terms as “specially treated leather” or “all leather palm”. These descriptions may mean tissue thin leather bonded to a fabric. “All leather palm” means just that. The palm of the glove is leather and the rest of the glove is not. Beware of plastic gloves. It is getting to more and more difficult to readily distinguish between leather and plastic. Leather gloves will have “Genuine Leather” stamped on them; plastic gloves will not. When plastic tears it is seldom repairable. Plastic gloves are not necessarily cheaper, especially if you have to buy a new one next season. Breaking in your glove: Use a cleaner conditioner that contains lanolin, (suggest Dr. Glove) work into leather and wipe off excess. Work the glove until you feel it becoming more cooperative, then put a softball in the pocket and fold the glove around with the little finger under the thumb and wrap it with a heavy elastic or string. The easiest way to break in a glove is to use it, play catch daily. Caring for your glove: Leather is an organic material and will decompose and stiffen if it becomes wet and is allowed to dry out. Leaving your glove out in the weather will ruin it. Should your glove become wet dry it with a towel or soft cloth and leave it exposed to room air for several hours. After it dries rub it with a little glove conditioner to moisten it. When you put your glove away wrap it in a softball as mentioned above.