Equipment Help Guide

Many people have been contacting us and the high school coaches regarding how to pick the bats, gloves, and helmets that are best for their child. We have put together some information that should help you in deciding on what equipment to buy. Please remember that we do not require our athletes to buy their own bats. Each athlete should own their own glove. We also encourage that every athlete own their own helmet for hygiene proposes, however team helmets are available. Each team will have a few bats and helmets that can be shared by the team. However, if you are looking to purchase a bat, glove, or helmet, please use the following information as a resource.

Bats

To use the following table find your athlete's weight on the left and your athlete's height on the top. The corresponding cell in the table will show you what size bat you should get.

Courtesy of Softball.com

The YouTube videos below explain the basics behind softball bats and how to select the correct one.

When purchasing a softball bat, it is also important to make sure that it is a LEGAL bat that is approved by USA Softball (formerly ASA).

NFHS/WIAA rules follow the USA Softball bat testing and certification requirements. The following is from USA Softball:

CERTIFIED/APPROVED: The official bat for USA Softball Championship Play must meet all the USA Softball specifications and the requirements of Rule 3, Section 1, and:

The official bat, made up of the knob, handle, grip, taper, barrel and end cap shall be free of burs, dents cracks, sharp edges, rattles and show no signs of excessive wear. The official bat may be marked OFFICIAL SOFTBALL by the manufacturer, and shall be no more than 34 inches long nor exceed 38 ounces in weight. The official bat shall not be more than 2.250 inches in diameter at its largest part, including any tolerance for expansion. The official bat must bear either the 2000 Certification Mark, 2004 Certification Mark, or 2013 Certification Mark (Slow Pitch, Men’s Adult Fast Pitch, Junior Olympic Boy’s Fast Pitch and Men’s Modified only), as shown below and must not be listed on the USA Softball Non-Approved Bat List with 2000 or 2004 Certification Mark.

NOTE: USA Softball has begun transitioning to the new USA Softball Certification Marks for the 2020 calendar year. On behalf of equipment manufacturers, the USA Softball Equipment Testing and Certification Committee requested that the new certification marks be approved for the 2019 calendar year and the USA Softball Board of Directors approved the new marks (seen here) for 2019 USA Softball Championship Play. The Official Rules of Softball, Rule 3, Sections 1 and 3 will be updated for 2020 to identify the new Certification Marks for Championship Play.

2020 Adult Fastpitch & All Slow Pitch Certification Mark

AND

must be included on a list of approved bat models published by USA Softball

must, in the sole opinion and discretion of the umpire, have been manufactured prior to 2000 and if tested, would comply with USA Softball Bat Performance Standard. This includes wooden bats.

All bats in USA Softball Championship Play, except Seniors, must pass USA Softball's Bat Performance Standard. All bats having the 2000, 2004 or 2013 (Slow Pitch, Men's Adult Fast Pitch, Junior Olympic Boy's Fast Pitch and Men's Modified Pitch ONLY) Certification Mark and not listed on the list of Non-Approved bats with Certification marks will be allowed in USA Softball Championship Play. Bats with the 2013 Certification Mark will be allowed in Slow Pitch National Championship Play Only. For your convenience, USA Softball's website has a listing of all approved bats and bats that have USA Softball Certification Marks and are no longer approved.

For the original USA Softball page, visit https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/Certified-Equipment/Equipment-Bats.

APPROVED BATS: 2000, 2004 and 2013
For a list of bats that have been tested and found to comply with the USA Softball bat performance standards, and therefore are authorized to bear the 2000, 2004 or 2013 certification mark and/or are authorized for use in USA Softball Championship Play please click on the manufacturer on USA Softball's website. Manufacturers continue to submit additional bat models for testing, and USA Softball will update this list as test results become available.

To access the list of all approved bats by manufacturer, click the button below and scroll to the APPROVED BATS: 2000, 2004, and 2013 section.

View Approved Bats

NON-APPROVED BATS: 2004 and Beyond
USA Softball no longer displays every bat made by bat manufacturers that do not comply with current USA Softball bat standards. If you want to know what bats are approved for use in USA Softball Championship Play, follow one of the steps below.

check the approved list located in the drop down boxes and search by the specific manufacturer or select all
check for either the 2000, 2004 or 2013 (Slow Pitch Only) Certification Mark (all three depicted above) and then be sure the bat is not listed on the PDF's as a Non-Approved Bats with Certification Marks by USA Softball

Non-Approved Bats (1 Page)

Non-Approved Bats (Detailed)

PLEASE NOTE: Many bats also have an additional certification mark for USSSA. None of our divisions are sanctioned by USSSA, but sometimes our teams will register for USSSA tournaments. If this is the case, then all bats used in those tournaments must have the USSSA approval stamp. The number on the stamp may vary, but the general style of the stamp is the same.

For regular season games and practices, a bat must be certified by USA Softball. It is okay if it also has a USSSA stamp. However, if it has a USSSA stamp and not a USA Softball stamp, that bat is illegal for play.

We have found that one of the cheapest places to purchase bats is at Bats Unlimited. Use the website to find the bat you are interested in and then call (800) 929-0959. The website does not always show the cheapest price for each bat. In order to find the cheapest price and order the bat for that price, you need to call the company directly.

Gloves/Mitts

Softball gloves/mitts have very few restrictions so the main factor in purchasing a glove/mitt is how it feels to the athlete and whether or not it can hold a softball. Our Rookie & 10U leagues will use an 11" softball while our 12U, 14U, & 16/18U leagues will use a 12" softball. The restrictions that apply to gloves and mitts are as follows.

Gloves/mitts shall be a maximum of two colors excluding lacing and manufacturer's logo colors. Lacing shall not be the color of the ball.
Gloves/mitts shall not be entirely optic in color.
Gloves mitts shall not have an optic-colored marking on the outside or inside that gives the appearance of the ball.

Batting Helmets

Batting helmets have the following requirements.

Batting helmets must be permanently affixed with the NOSCAE helmet stamp. (See image.)
Batting helmets cannot have a glare or mirror-like surface.
Batting helmets must be equipped with a NOSCAE-approved face protector. (The following must be permanently affixed to the face protector: "Meets NOSCAE Standard at the time of manufacture.") NOTE: This is not an optional requirement. Batting helmets will not be allowed to be used in games and/or practices without a face protector attached.
If an eye shield is worn, it must allow 100% light transmission and have 0% tint.

NOTE: If you buy a new helmet and eventually want to wear it for Portage High School Softball, the high school coaches would prefer that all helmets be mostly black.

The following is a WIAA adaptation to the NFHS rules and is enforced during high school games. (This will not be enforced during youth league games. However, the other restrictions regarding no glare, face protector, eye shields, and helmet certifications apply to ALL games & practices).

All batting helmets are required to be school colors or neutral (white, black, gray) colors. Only school logos, reward or commemorative stickers are allowed beyond the NFHS requirement. (Rule 1-6-1 and 1-7-1)

Catching Helmets

Each team will have a full set of catching gear available for everyone on the team to use. If you choose to purchase a personal set, please keep the following restrictions in mind.

Catcher's helmets must be permanently affixed with the NOSCAE catcher helmet stamp. (See image.)
A throat protector that is part of or attached to the mask shall be worn and extend far enough to adequately protect the throat.
Plastic visors attached to the catcher's helmet are prohibited.
If an eye shield is worn, it must allow 100% light transmission and have 0% tint.
Catching helmets cannot have a glare or mirror-like surface.

Defensive Fielding Masks

Although not required, Portage Youth Softball strongly recommends that athletes wear defensive fielding masks when playing in the infield, especially at the positions of pitcher, first base, and third base. The masks are also not allowed to have a glare or mirror-like surface.

Cleats

Cleats worn by any player in the Rookie, 10U, & 12U divisions must be rubber/plastic cleats. Metal cleats are not allowed in these divisions. Cleats worn by any player in the 14U & 16/18U divisions may be either rubber or metal cleats.

Uniforms

Portage Youth Softball will provide jersey tops for every athlete as part of their registration. The color of pants and socks are up to the individual teams and coaches, however, black pants are recommended. We encourage that uniforms of all members on a team match. Teams will be created after the registration period is complete, usually sometime in April, and your head coach should be in contact with you shortly after.

Last Updated: 2/20/2022

Need Help?

Any sporting goods store that sells fastpitch softball equipment should be able to answer any questions that you have about these items. If you have any additional questions regarding equipment, please contact us.

"Rule 1: Field and Equipment." Softball Rules Book. Ed. Theresia D. Wynns. 2016 ed. Indianapolis: National Federation of State High School Associations, 2015. 12-15. Print.
"Fastpitch Bat Selection Chart." Scheduled Maintenance. Team Express, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
TeamExpress. "Buyer's Guide: What to Look for When Buying a Softball Bat." YouTube. YouTube, 22 Oct. 2010. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
HowcastSportsFitness. "How to Pick a Softball Bat | Softball Lessons."YouTube. YouTube, 25 May 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.