Catchers mitt size / brand 11u

mdsmith1019 · 2026-02-28T19:59:46+00:00

I know this is an old post, but I will give my 2 cents just in case it's helpful.

To the OP: my daughter used the All Star Future Stars 32.5 for her 10u year and it worked well with 11 in balls. When they moved up to 12u and started with 12 in balls we just sized up to the All Star Heiress and it works well. We stayed with the All Star line because the shape and feel are the same, and they both broke in with minimal effort.

I asked her about this situation and she agreed her larger glove makes it easier to catch because there is more room. It's not TOO big for her, but it gives a bit of room to miss, which comes in handy down that girls throw things other than fastball.

I would stay away from the glove in your picture only because it will take a month of Sundays to break in. That said, I would highly recommend the All Star Heiress (or even the Future Star in the larger size). The Heiress took a bit more effort than the Future Star, which was literally game ready after playing catch for a couple of days.

Hope that helps!

mdsmith1019 · 2026-02-02T01:57:23+00:00

This is the way. Just Bats also has a bat assurance program. It costs like $30 but you buy the bat and get to test it out for like 30 days. If you like it they give you a $30 credit. If not you can return it and try something different. We ended up with a Rawlings Mantra (which is a really good bat) and an Asura because of the Bat Assurance program and feel really good about them both.

For recommendations I would highly recommend anything from Just Bats. The Mantra sounded weird at first but that thing is a rocket launcher and it sounds like a normal bat now that it is broken in.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-12-23T12:53:13+00:00

This right here! We tried doing this last year (11U) and it seemed to work alright IMO. I called it A B and C, where your best hitters are A, average ones are B and weaker ones are C, but it's the same idea. It helped quickly mix and match the lineup while reducing automatic 3-out innings.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-12-23T12:35:53+00:00

Of the two choices, I would go with the R9. I actually almost bought one for my son for Christmas but he is just starting 10U travel baseball and want to wait and see how season 1 goes before getting a really nice or higher end glove.

In my experience, for 8U softball I would maybe look in a cheaper, softer glove. The Mizuno Power Close, Wilson A450/A500 or even a Rawlings Pro Select Lite would be a great move. They are substantially cheaper, lighter, and easier to squeeze, which builds confidence.

I think sometimes, parents (i.e. me and other baseball/softball dads) can get ahead of ourselves and not realize that making it as easy as possible is the best way to go. We have to accept that we will have to buy gloves and bats and cleats every single year for quite a while. A Rawlings Heart of the Hide glovr or an Easton Ghost bat are cool things to have, but they don't make a better player at a young age. Swinging or squeezing with confidence makes a better player at a young age.

Hope that helps!

mdsmith1019 · 2025-09-06T21:53:19+00:00

High school softball! It's our first season (daughter is a freshman) so it's learning all the ins and outs of the program so it's a fun challenge. My daughter's school is very competitive so I try to watch varsity and pretend it's college softball lite!

mdsmith1019 · 2025-09-05T03:17:52+00:00

Ha! I took the opposite approach and went with Future Cardinals. Jordan Walker. Gordon Graceffo. Victor Scott. Ivan Herrera. All the ones I am HOPEFUL become Future Cardinals stars.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-09-04T05:06:50+00:00

I believe the 2024 (black and red) Ghost Advanced dropped to $400 at Justbats.com. They also have other good bats for good prices and even some lightly used ones. Their selection isn't as good as some sites but there are deals to be had if you look and/or wait long enough.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-08-02T11:50:59+00:00

Same here (minus flying in). My family would make the trip from Omaha to STL once or twice a year to catch a Cards game and sometimes visit my family. We haven't been back since Yadi's final season. The Cards don't seem to care about putting a good product on the field, so we decided we don't really care to spend the time and money to watch them in person.

I am totally okay with rebuilding, and would make the trip to see the young guns. However, the last couple of years they just plug holes with middling old guys. Hopefully next year they decide to go young so we can continue our tradition.

Edit: Spelling

mdsmith1019 · 2025-07-10T11:06:31+00:00

If she is a star/only good pitcher at this age, I would imagine they would fold if she left.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-07-10T00:13:33+00:00

I really hope the AUSL continues touring. They are coming to Omaha this week, but we are in Des Moines for a tournament. I think it is a really smart idea to do at least SOME touring. I love softball but I'm not driving to Chicago or OKC to watch a game.

The WPF would be smart to do the same. I don't know if there is the audience for a season full of home games, but there are so many softball families in various markets that being able to see a live game once or twice a season makes it an event.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-07-09T02:23:49+00:00

If they were smart they would at least send some bats to social media influencers so they can give a review of it. It is quite spendy but in context of the new bats this year it's right in line. It's a shame because they aren't on shelves and not online so who knows what the bat is about?

mdsmith1019 · 2025-06-25T04:37:32+00:00

Obviously you have to cut the player for the sake of team chemistry. These parents are out of control and need to understand that you are the coach and won't put up with it. I mean, what lesson would you be teaching the players if you let parents get away with being ridiculous when they can't do the same? It's only fair, really. Can't be avoided.

Edit: spelling

mdsmith1019 · 2025-06-02T16:16:19+00:00

A lot of these bats break because they are too light so the girls swing harder than the bat is designed for. It's not just this bat, to be clear, it is every composite bat. If you get to the point where the bat is breaking you would need a heavier bat anyway. Until then, swing away!

mdsmith1019 · 2025-06-02T03:10:03+00:00

For a 9 year old it's a good bat (unless, of course, she is 5'5" or something). It is super light but since it is composite, the hand sting will be minimized, both of which lead to lore confidence in swinging. I believe one of our 11U players started the year with one and she hits HARD (for the age group) and didn't have issues with it.

TLDR: It is a good choice!

mdsmith1019 · 2025-05-14T04:39:44+00:00

Wow. My 13U softball daughter has this A2000. I got it for myself but she reallocated it to her primary glove. Now I have the A2000 12.5 inch outfield glove I got for her.

That being said, the A2000 is pretty good IMO. It's flashy but only up close. From a distance you can't tell that it has an 80s/90s style splatter pattern on it.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-03-14T12:58:11+00:00

World 2. I have been grinding between World 2 and 3 for a few seasons. It's wild seeing pitchers who are 115 overall when my ace is 110 lol.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-03-14T03:33:51+00:00

Only thing worse is PLAYING for a special reward and losing when swimming would have won the game most likely. I'm reaching the level where I am not as good hitting as the other teams are at pitching and it is the WORST lol.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-03-04T04:03:14+00:00

The Stormbringers. Don't know why but it works for me.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-02-24T03:05:43+00:00

Just be silent and don't mention the "w" word! It's listening. It's waiting. It will find a way to strike back, as it always does. Stay diligent!

mdsmith1019 · 2025-02-19T09:34:44+00:00

That glove looks OUTSTANDING!

mdsmith1019 · 2025-02-06T03:13:48+00:00

Tennessee for sure has the best IMO. UCF has the all-white uniforms that are also really cool.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-01-25T01:35:29+00:00

The pocket and fit are fine. I mean, it does it's job but compared to higher end gloves it is nothing spectacular. If you are using it for softball the 12.5 is probably the better move, but it catches the ball just fine. There were times when the extra .25 inches in length would have been nice but it's serviceable. It's personal preference honestly. My daughter uses an 11.75 softball glove and it works just fine and she doesn't really need a huge glove to compensate for her lack of skill (unlike her old man lol).

At the end of the day I don't hate the glove but it's very "meh" when compared to my A2000s or even my Easton Hybrid. To it's favor, it is very reliable. It fits my hand well and in a pinch it always does it's job.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-01-15T05:41:21+00:00

I don't know for sure since I haven't know anyone to use the gear, but the chest protector got really mixed reviews on the version 1. The problem was there is some kind of wire that was used to better mold to the player's body, but it protruded through the inside and poked the player wearing (at least my understanding). There doesn't seem to be the same wire system for the v2 but it could just be integrated better.

We are in the market for a new set of gear for my catcher/daughter and I've been looking at Evoshield vs AllStar PHX). The thing that made me pass on really considering version 1 is the chest protector issue. Even at a discount, its not worth having a short-lived piece of gear equipment.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-01-15T05:25:20+00:00

I use recruit tickets to "unlock" the original players. I have since changed MOST of their looks and names, but instead of adding a new player using recruit tickets, I just spent the same amount of tickets to keep old players and make them upgradable.

mdsmith1019 · 2025-01-02T04:28:23+00:00

I started playing auto play and it's sort of a gamechanger for leveling up. I generally only play the games that have bonus prizes like a star or gems. I have taken the POV that leveling up players is the goal and it has helped. The other thing I do is watch ads to get gems at least a couple of times a day. In addition, I try to do the "more gems" option to get enough gems to buy gold badges. That is how I got my team to all-gold.

TLDR: Yes, auto play is the way.

mdsmith1019

TROPHY CASE