HAIL TO THE CATCHER!

• Posted on 19 January 2023
• By Carl Lemelin
• 0

There is nothing like playing catcher but buying the right gear can be tricky without a few insightful tips.

It’s the most active position in baseball. The most physically and mentally demanding. The most dangerous. It's undoubtedly the most important everyday position on the field. And the most fun!

Catchers, much like hockey goalies, instantly captivate kids’ imaginations because of the “cool” protective gear they must don. All sports parents know how much the little ones worship eye-catching gear, whether they notice it on TV while watching a game, on the Baseball Town website, or in one of our shops’ display walls.

It’s true, sports equipment has evolved to not only better protect athletes, but also to look really good. Color schemes that match team uniforms. A new and improved design for leg guards, chest protectors and helmets, every single year. No detail is spared when it comes to standing out form the competition.

But for parents, the priority remains adequately protecting their developing backstop.

Of course, there are different foam densities, design technologies and price points that determine protection levels of the gear, but what many shoppers fail to realize is that the most crucial factor to shielding a catcher from potential injury – or probable excruciating pain – is proper fitting.

Therefore, let me introduce you to the Baseball Town Catcher’s Gear Fitting Guide, where we go step-by-step into the method our in-store specialists use to fit gear on aspiring masked men and women.

KITS

Since catcher’s gear is quite extensive compared to other positions, suppliers have combined the most important protective pieces to offer them in easy-to-fit sets. These all comprise of a hockey-style helmet, a chest protector, and a pair of leg guards.

All manufacturers have adopted a three-tiered fitting system for catcher’s gear:

• Adult (Ages 15 and up)
• Intermediate (12-15)
• Youth (9-12)

Easton also offers a beginner kit (Black Magic 2.0 Junior Youth) that covers ages 6-8.

Although very popular, convenient, and suitable for most customers, kits aren’t without their drawbacks.

First, you must know that the age brackets are approximate. When possible, you or your child should always try on the gear before purchasing.

Second, not everyone is built proportionately, which is what the kit option assumes. Sometimes, one or two of the pieces won’t fit properly or feel quite right on the player. Since that could also be a brand-specific issue, we suggest trying on a different kit in that same age bracket in these cases. If none of the available kits are suitable, the only option is to purchase each individual piece separately.

HEAD GEAR

There are two options available to catchers for face and noggin protection. There is the more modern hockey-style mask, or the old-school two-piece facemask and skull cap ensemble. The choice boils down to personal preference because both have their pros and cons.

The hockey mask offers better coverage and overall protection thanks to an aerodynamically designed hard shell that deflects foul tips with minimal felt impact while also covering the vulnerable jaw and temple areas.

The main downside to the one-piece mask is it tends to be heavier since it requires more material to make. For that same reason, it can also obstruct the catcher’s peripheral vision, depending on how it fits on the individual player’s head.

Those who prefer the two-piece headwear enjoy the lightweight feel, largely unobstructed vision and old school look it provides. The skull caps are light as a feather and recent technological advances allow for extremely lightweight metal bars on traditional facemasks.

However, foul tips are more likely to produce severe concussions and knock both the mask and helmet off the catcher’s head, making him (or her) vulnerable to a second impact if he (or she) loses his (or her) balance and falls to the ground while stunned.

As for fitting, facemasks are one-size and aimed mostly at players 12 and over. Helmets (offered in 2 sizes: Adult and Youth) and skull caps are fitted to the player’s fitted baseball cap size.

See the Helmet Sizing Chart in our Catcher’s Gear Buying Guide for head circumference conversions. Go to the Catcher’s Gear Sizing Chart in the same Guide for a breakdown of each brand’s helmet sizing range.

CHEST PROTECTOR

Since January 1^st, 2020, all baseball chest protectors have been manufactured in accordance with the new NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) standards.

Studies have uncovered some 290 occurrences of commotio cordis in youth sports in the U.S. This life-threatening event happens when the part of the chest that covers the heart, or the sternum is struck with enough energy to cause the heart to stop beating instantly.

This is exactly what happened in the recent, much publicized NFL scare involving Damar Hamlin, of the Buffalo Bills. Hamlin’s heart stopped beating after he was struck in the chest by the player’s shoulder he was attempting to tackle.

After briefly being able to get back to his feet, Hamlin collapsed and had to be reanimated twice while lying on the field. Thankfully he survived and will make a full recovery. But he is a fully grown adult, whose rib cage is made to protect vital organs.

Kids and teens aren’t so lucky. Of the 290 cases mentioned earlier, less than 20% survived. In fact, commotio cardis is the second leading cause of sudden death in youth sports. That’s because their ribs and sternum have not grown to full strength yet. Therefore, it takes less of an impact to cause the same damage to heart that is under 18-years old.

So, in 2020 NOCSAE mandated that all high-school and college catchers in the U.S. must wear approved chest protectors. To get the NOCSAE stamp, manufacturers must incorporate an ultra-dense foam pad in the middle of the sternum part of the chest protector that has been tested and proven to greatly reduce the energy of an impact transmitted to player’s inner chest.

Canadian minor baseball associations have also adopted the NOCSAE standards and apply it to their regulations.

It goes without saying then that when fitting the chest protector to the player, the most important check point is the NOCSAE padding. It must be perfectly centered to the mid part of the sternum.

Once the straps are properly adjusted to have the NOCSAE padding in its proper position, make sure the clavicle is covered by the neckline padding. Then, have the catcher get in the crouched position to ensure the bottom of the chest protector doesn’t impede mobility or comfort level.

Note that mid to high-end chest protectors also come with an optional/adjustable throwing shoulder guard. This protective cup must be placed directly in front of the shoulder joint.

Go to the Catcher’s Gear Sizing Chart in the Catcher’s Gear Buying Guide for a breakdown of each brand’s chest protector sizing range. Chest protector measurements should be taken from the gap at the base of the neck to the navel.

LEG GUARDS

It could be argued that leg guards have evolved the most out of all the main catcher’s protective pieces. They used to be called shin guards, because protecting the very sensitive shin bones was their original purpose.

But that was neglectful of the knees, ankles, and feet, also vulnerable parts of the legs when crouched behind the dish. Today’s pro-level leg guards are equipped with the latest in lightweight, yet very dense foams in the most critical areas: kneecaps, shin bones, ankles, instep, and toes.

At the same time, leg guards have evolved to offer much better mobility where needed most: under the kneecaps and above the ankles. Technological advances and progressive designs have made the ever-challenging compromise between protection and flexibility easier to manage for gear engineers.

The result is catcher’s gear that frees the team’s defensive captain to execute any play without having his or her mobility restricted or having to worry about serious injury or pain. Since much of the catcher’s typical movement requires swift and efficient footwork, properly fitted leg guards are key to a high level of performance.

Here are the check points when fitting leg guards:

• Position the kneecap on the foam ring or padding in the center of the knee shell
• With the leg guard strapped and securely adjusted to the leg, have the catcher get in his crouch and double-check that the kneecap is still level with the ring or padding
• If so, make sure the foot and inner ankle are properly covered
• Have the catcher get in and out of his crouch and into throwing position to ensure he or she is perfectly at ease. If not, readjust the straps, and if that fails, repeat fitting steps with a different model.

Go to the Catcher’s Gear Sizing Chart in the Catcher’s Gear Buying Guide for a breakdown of each brand’s leg guard sizing range. Note that leg guard measurements should be taken from the middle of the kneecap to the top of the instep.

For our full selection of complementary catcher’s protective gear and accessories, visit our website.