Softball Gifts for Players: What Gets Used, by Age

The softball gifts that get used are the ones a player can practice with alone, in the size of ball her league actually throws. That’s the whole trick, because softball changes ball size partway through: Little League uses an 11-inch softball in Tee Ball and Minor League (ages 4 to 11) and a 12-inch ball from the Majors division up (ages 9 to 12, then Junior and Senior). So under about eight, give soft 11-inch balls and a tee. In the coach-pitch and player-pitch years, a rebounder net and a bucket of balls in the league’s size. From about twelve, a fastpitch equipment bag and 12-inch practice balls. The glove and bat are fit purchases, not surprise gifts.

Nothing here is ranked and nothing gets stars. It’s sorted by age and ball size, and by what is still in use when spring practices start.

The rule before you buy: find out the ball size

Softball gift lists usually skip this, and it’s the one fact that decides half the gifts. Little League’s approved balls page is plain about it: “11-Inch Softballs are used by Tee Ball and Minor League Softball players” and “12-Inch Softballs are used by Little League (Majors), Junior, and Senior Softball Players.”

Little League’s softball divisions put Minor League at ages 5 to 11 and Majors at 9 to 12, and the overlap is the point. A ten-year-old could be on either ball, depending on which division she was placed in. Other organizations draw their own lines, so ask the coach or check the league’s site before you buy a dozen balls of the wrong size.

Two more questions worth a text to the coach:

Is it fastpitch or slowpitch? Youth programs are almost always fastpitch, but the bat rules differ, so it matters before any bat purchase.
Is a glove or bat already on the coach’s list? If so, those are fit purchases. See the section below.

Under 8: soft 11-inch balls and a tee

Tee Ball Softball is for girls 4 to 5, with a local option for 6- and 7-year-olds, and Little League notes “No live pitching is permitted in this division.” The gifts that get used at this age are the ones that let her hit a hundred balls without anyone pitching.

A batting tee that works for softball. A tee is the single most-used practice gift for a young hitter. The Tanner Tee is the worked example. It’s listed for baseball and softball and adjusts from 26 to 43 inches, so it keeps up as she grows. Put it in the yard with a ball already on it.

Soft training softballs. A ball that doesn’t sting coming off the fence is the difference between “go outside and hit” and “wait for me.” Rawlings NCAA Soft Poly-Core training softballs come in a 12-pack with 11-inch and 12-inch options, so pick the 11-inch at this age.

A first glove, only if you know the size. At tee ball age a glove she can’t close gets left in the car. The brands’ softball charts barely reach this age, and the softball glove size chart explains what to do instead.

Sideline observation: a tee in the living room produces exactly one broken lamp before it becomes an outdoor tee.

Ages 8 to 11: the rebounder and a bucket in the right size

This is coach pitch, machine pitch and the first player-pitch seasons. Little League gives the example of a league putting 7-8-year-olds in Coach Pitch and 9-10-year-olds in Player Pitch, with players moving up or down “by local option”. Throwing and fielding start to matter, and both need reps that don’t depend on an adult being free at four o’clock.

A rebounder net. A pitchback throws the ball back, so a player can field grounders alone and throw at a target. The GoSports 5 x 3 ft pitching and fielding rebounder is the worked example: it’s sold for baseball and softball and carries a strike-zone target.

A bucket of balls in her league’s size. Ten minutes at a net goes much better with a dozen balls than with three. For an 11-inch player, Rawlings Official League recreational softballs, 11-inch come in a 6-count. Once she’s on the 12-inch ball, the Rawlings bucket of 12 practice softballs, 12-inch is the next step, and an upturned bucket is the oldest coach’s stool in the game.

Pitching, the windmill, is a coach’s job, not a gift’s. A net gives her somewhere to throw; the coach decides how.

Ages 12 and up: the bag and the 12-inch ball

By twelve, most players are on the 12-inch ball, and Little League’s Junior and Senior divisions use “a conventional 60-foot diamond with a 43 foot pitching distance.” She has the basics. What helps now is a bag that holds the gear and more reps at the real size.

A fastpitch equipment backpack. A bat, helmet, glove, water bottle and cleats don’t fit in a school bag. The Easton Walk-Off NX backpack is listed for baseball and fastpitch softball. Where the bag lives and how it gets packed the night before is a household system, and That Suburban Momma’s gear staging setup covers it.

More 12-inch balls. Practice balls go missing in hedges at every age. The 12-inch bucket above is the refill.

Softball gifts for girls (and anyone else on the team)

Most of the searches for softball gifts say “for girls”, and fair enough: Little League describes its softball divisions for girls. But nothing on this page is pink by necessity. A tee, a net and a bucket of balls are the same gift for any player, and a brother on the baseball side has his own list in baseball gifts for kids. Buy for the player and the ball size, and let her pick the color of the bag.

The glove and the bat: fit purchases, not surprise gifts

These are the two most-wanted softball gifts, and the two most likely to be wrong.

The glove has to close in her hand, and softball gloves run bigger than baseball gloves at the same age because the ball is bigger. Our softball glove size chart lays two brands’ charts side by side, and they don’t fully agree, which is one more reason to try before you wrap. If it’s a surprise, put a gift receipt in the box, and when it’s opened, how to break in a baseball glove applies to fastpitch gloves too.

The bat has two fit problems: length and drop for her body, and a certification stamp the league accepts. A bat with the wrong stamp can’t be used in a game. The softball bat size chart walks through both. If you can’t find out the stamp before the holidays, give a card that says “bat shopping in February” instead. A bat she swings in the store beats a bat she unwraps.

Stocking stuffers that get used

Glove conditioner. A small tube of Rawlings glove conditioner is cheap, and every leather glove needs a light coat now and then.
Spare practice balls. One or two extra 11-inch or 12-inch balls, whichever size she plays.
Rubber bands and a ball for the pocket. It sounds like nothing. It’s how a new glove gets its shape over the winter.
A good water bottle with her name on it. Every dugout has six identical bottles.

Gifts that aren’t things

Tickets to a college softball game. College seasons run in the spring, and watching players at the top of the sport throw a 12-inch ball is a good afternoon for a twelve-year-old who just moved up to one.
A few hitting or fielding lessons, with a coach your league recommends.
A standing catch date. Ten minutes after dinner, three times a week, from January. It costs nothing and does more than anything on this page.

What to skip this year

A bat “to grow into.” Too long or too heavy, and she’ll swing late all season. Size it on the chart.
An adult glove for a nine-year-old. If she can’t close it, she won’t use it.
Equipment the league will check. Anything protective, from a helmet to a fielder’s mask, is fitted to the league’s rules, not bought blind as a present.
Anything with a ball size that doesn’t match hers. A dozen 12-inch balls for a Minor League player are a gift for next year.

When to buy

Buy before the holiday rush but keep receipts, because anything that has to fit should stay returnable until it’s been on the actual player. Spring registration timing is local, and That Suburban Momma’s youth sports registration calendar helps you see when it lands in your town.

FAQ: softball gifts

What are good softball gifts for an 8-year-old?

A batting tee, soft 11-inch training balls and a rebounder net. All three let her practice without anyone pitching, and at eight she’s almost certainly on the 11-inch ball.

What size softball does a 10-year-old use?

It depends on the division. In Little League, Minor League players use the 11-inch ball and Majors players use the 12-inch ball, and both divisions include ten-year-olds. Ask the coach before you buy.

Is a softball glove a good gift?

Only if you know the size and include a gift receipt. Softball gloves run larger than baseball gloves at the same age, so check the chart first.

What softball gifts are good for girls who have everything?

Practice gear she doesn’t think about: a bucket of balls in her size, a rebounder net, a new equipment backpack, or college softball tickets.

Should I buy a softball bat as a gift?

Only if you know the length, the drop and the stamp her league accepts. Otherwise give a card for a bat-shopping trip.