I can save you money on that custom mitt.
The custom builder site usually has a good description of each feature. Make sure you use the official Rawlings one, though. It will explain the differences in the pockets. Those two mitts have the same pocket design. One is just different because it's...
I can't wait for HS ball to be over. A moronic coach, an AD, who's retiring at year's end, and a group of girls who never play outside of school makes for a bad experience. Our experience has gotten worse every year. The only reason she plays is she needs the pitching practice for her new motion...
Both are baseball mitts. I use the YM Heart of The Hide to catch my daughter. If you're going to use either one for fastpitch, you need to beat the pocket with a softball. They both will work well.
The do sell a Jugs machine that has a change up option for that. You get a remote with it that slows the wheel down fast. I've never used it, but I hear it is effective. It also adds a few hundred bucks to the cost.
Oddly enough, there have been at least three D2 schools who have either closed, will close, or dissolved their athletic programs in NY in the last 10 years.
They're selling individual pieces on the AS site. My daughter's catching coach is an AS ambassador and gave me a code for a discount. If you want it, PM me.
It's hard to conflate baseball and softball here. A baseball D1 roster may carry 35-40 guys, but in essence, so does a MLB team. They may only have 26 with them at any given moment, but they have a 40 man roster from which to pull players due to injury or ineffectiveness. Colleges don't have...
I don't disagree, but I would say most girls struggle with it because it's the first time they're seeing an actual riseball. Pure back spin at a high velocity is what makes it hard to hit.
Timing is important. What's most important is hand-eye coordination. Ted Williams was a fighter pilot...
It's definitely built a little better with thicker straps on both the chest protector and shin guards. Is it worth the extra money? That's up to you. My daughter said she likes it a lot better than her Jen Schro gear she had previously.