Customized baseball gloves are making their way into youth sports at an alarming rate. As a coach, I remember it was only a few years ago that players showed up to play baseball without a glove at all. One young shortstop I remember fondly, never played the game and his mother didn’t want to spend the money until she was certain he could make the team. Did I have an extra baseball glove for her son?

I will call the young man, Billy, but that is not his real name. I dug into the gear bag and located a real beater. I usually have a couple, one or two prized possessions, but I also get leftover gloves from parents who move up and donate the old glove for exactly these occasions. Billy got what we had at the time and even with a short profile, it had a torn lace, which would not give him much of a chance if he were to field a line drive.

I wish I could say Billy defied all odds and became a superstar. He did not and although he kept with the game, I could tell he would be better suited toward track and Field. He was tall and lanky with arms and legs that just did not know which way to go. We used him mainly as a pinch runner and after learning the rules, he did rather well. A customized baseball glove would never have helped him though. He just was not suited for the game of baseball.

These days I see a lot of kids not suited for baseball either and thats perfectly fine. One never knows which sport is best until some exploration and effort is spent in pursuit. Why then are parents investing in high dollar custom baseball gloves when their young athlete is a beginner, with no ideas or dreams of the future. I think the fancy gloves with the soft, red, kangaroo leather is a bit over the top.

Would not it be better for the player to be matched to a position-an opportunity to practice and a chance to fail or succeed? If parents push their ballplayers into a role not suited for them, they will be unsuccessful. Just because Uncle Albert played third for the Yankees, does not mean junior will follow. These genes are not position exact and many players as well as parents suffer needless consequences by making these fallacies seem true.

An infield glove is shorter than an outfield glove. One has an open web and the other has a deep pocket and a closed web. Why spend hundreds of dollars to look good when you may in fact make the wrong purchase? My suggestion is to wait, but if you cannot, look for manufactures that are reliable and have proven themselves over time.

Rawlings is an old timer and has a wonderful selection of customized baseball gloves. With them you can choose from a variety of options, from web design, glove length and a variety of colors.

Mizuno Custom Baseball gloves are quite the rage. These flashy gloves will run about $250 and for that you get the same trademark soft leather , features such as a finger hood, your name and number embroidered and several options in web design.

Another good choice is SSK gloves. I think they have the most comprehensive selection of web designs. This is critical at later stages and these features can really enhance your play. Colors in leather, wrist openings and the usual lace design are also included.

Author Bio: TJ writes about what interests him and what he is passionate about. Visit his website at http://www.customizedbaseballgloves.com which help people find the best in Customized Baseball Gloves

Category: Sports
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