Softball Bat Sizes By Age List

Softball bat sizes consist of 24-26 inches for players of 7-year-olds and 31-32 inches for 13-year-old. 

Every age group requires its own sets of softball bats to accommodate their height and weight. A player who is 6 years old will differ in physicality compared to an athlete who has crossed the age of 15.

So, the youngsters of age groups 5-7 are fit for a bat size of 24 to 26 inches in length. These kids have smaller bodies and hands and should get used to smaller bats before carrying a heavier bat. When these young athletes reach the age group of 8-9, they can have a 26-28 inches bat. 

Likewise, 10 aged players can carry a 28 to 29 inches bat, which provides the needed comfort and challenge. The youth who have become 11-12 can go further and play with a bat that has a 30-31 inches length. 

Then, there are the teenage athletes who have become 13 and 14 years old. These youngsters can carry a bat of 31 to 32 inches. Meanwhile, 15-16 years old players can play with 32 to 33 inches bats. Finally, the softball national average remarks that batters, who are 17 and older, can carry a 33 to 34 inches bat. 

Softball Bat Size Chart

Softball Bat Sizes are variable and increase in length as the players start growing physically.

Here is a chart for the Softball bat sizes popular in the USA. These are the national averages offered for the sport. 

The primary factors for the requirement of this segregation are the proper utilization of power and swings by the players. A player of a particular age group will have a specific range of height and weight, which leads to getting used to a longer and heavier bat. 

The effectiveness of a bat will lie in the following formula applicable for players across all aging spectrums:

Power = Speed * Mass of the batter

A batter with impressive calculations in their body mass and swing speed have a high probability of smashing in lots of home runs and driving in many doubles for their team. 

How To Find A Bat With The Best Length For Softball?

You can find the best length of softball for your children with some proper measurements of their body parts. 

First, tell your child to stand straighter, with the arms sitting calmly at the side. Then measure the distance between the hand and the forearm, ending with the mark at the beginning of the wrist. This can give you a great idea about the bat length. 

Moreover, there is also a popular mechanism for checking a good bat size, known as the Wingspan. This technique requires your kid to stand again, but this time, tell them to put their hands parallel to the floor.

Now take a measurement tape, and then measure the distance straightly between the chest and the fingertips. The final result will provide a suitable number for your child's bat size. Try both methods, and you can also opt to select a slightly lengthier one if you believe in your child's rapid growth. 

Softball bat weight by age covers a 13.5 drop for players under 7 years and an 8 drop for softballers above 14. 

The weight-to-length ratio presents the concept of bat drop and is heavily used to distinguish the bat weight of athletes.

The players of 7 years and under will require a drop weight of -13.5 to -10 to better accommodate their weight distribution with their swing power and control. Similarly, the batters of age group 8-9 are also recommended to use a bat with a drop of -13.5 to -10. 

When the youngsters reach 10, they can increase their bat drop to -8. However, they can also use bats with weights of -13 and higher. Once the player grows to be 12 years old, they can forgo the drop 13 bats and look for 12 to 8 ones. 

The softball players of age 14 can choose the heavier versions, starting from the drop weight of -10. They can also go and swing a -8 bat, and this will be recommended for all the age groups above 14 too. However, some professional power hitters and athletes can opt for a -5 or -3. 

Softball Bat Weight Chart

Softball Bat weight consists of variable drop recommendations for softball batters of various age groups. 

There are specific guidances available by many Softball Leagues across the USA too. For instance, the Youth League comprising 6-10 years start their bat weight at 16 ounces and goes to 20 ounces. Meanwhile, the weights of bats for Intermediate League for 11-13 years old start from 18 to 23 ounces. 

Similarly, Canada’s Senior Women Team members generally use a 33inces-23 ounces bat during competitions. Moreover, male softballers can opt to use a long and heavier bat due to more physical strength. 

BatDigest conducted a study regarding the popularity of bat sizes per age, and they found impressive results. For example, in the 13-year-old category, drop 8 was seen as favorable, and some even went to fancy the drop five variants.

The majority believed that a 31-26 inches-ounces bat was perfect, whereas a 32-27 one was too heavy. They also stated that a 31-21 bat was too light, while bats with a 30-25 and 32-22 ratio were also fine for them. 

Softball sizes by age are divided into two categories based on diameter and circumference. 

The 10 and under Youth leagues will feature a ball having a diameter of 3.5 inches and covering an 11 inches circumference. The pitching distance is also 40 feet away, some featuring a 35 feet one. 

Meanwhile, the 11 and over leagues will play with a ball of 3.8 inches in diameter and 12 inches in circumference. The 14 years and above players will generally pitch from 43 feet away. However, some slow-pitch leagues also apply the 11-inch balls. 

What are the three sizes of balls that are used in softball?

The three sizes of balls used in softball are 11 inches, 12 inches, and 16 inches. 

The 11-inch ones are used by youngsters who have not crossed the age of 10. These kids will need to play with this circumferenced ball since this size makes it easier for the little athletes to perform underhand and overhand during the in-field.

The 12-inch balls are utilized by the intermediate leagues generally for the age group of 11 and higher. Moreover, the male slow-pitch league prefers the 12-inch ones. Meanwhile, the Olympic Games and International Softball Federation require the usage of 11.875 to 12.25 inches. 

The 16-inch ball is used in Chicago's Slow-Pitch tournament. Due to the softball's bigger size, the ball does not culminate in a larger quantity of homers and doubles compared to its smaller counterparts.

This unique variant of softball is played extensively in Chicago's Public Schools and is considered a part of the city tradition. School kids started playing it since this ball led to little outfield shots and fewer scenarios of going outside the school boundaries. Furthermore, this softball practices no glove usage in bases and fielding!

Softball glove size chart by age are categorized per the infield and outfield positions. The outfield payers will wear bigger gloves than the infield ones. 

The in-fielders under 8 years are recommended to wear a glove of 9 to 11 inches of measurement. Likewise, the outfielders can wear a glove that measures 10.5 to 11.5 inches. 

When the player reaches 9 years, the infield ones can utilize a 10 or 11 inches glove, whereas the outfield positions can wear 11 or 11.5 inches gloves. This length can be worn for players till 13 years of age. 

Once the athlete reaches high school and continues their professional career, the in-fielders can wear a glove having 11.5 or 12.5 inches measurements, while an outfielder can choose a 12.5 or 13-inch glove. 

For measuring your softball glove size, take a measuring tape, and calculate the distance between your index finger and the bottom heel. It is important to note that different softball gloves range from first base, in/ outfield, and catchers are out there.