GFSO Equipment and Participation Guidelines
GFSO requires that all equipment meet or exceed ASA specifications and rules. All equipment that is League provided is reviewed prior to distribution to the coaches to ensure they meet ASA requirements and are in good working order.
The league provides the following for each team:- Catchers Gear - helmet, chest protector, knee pads
- Bats - various sizes
- Practice balls of appropriate size
The Player is responsible to provide:- Cleats - preferably softball cleats but soccer cleats will suffice
- Sliding Pants - black sliding pants are required for games
- Batting Helmets with ASA Approved face cage and chin strap
While it is not required, many families choose to purchase some items that are otherwise provided by the League. If this is your choice, then you must ensure that the equipment is ASA Approved - this is usually apparent on the labeling (e.g. both the helmet and facemask must be stamped as NOCSAE certified).
Softball bats are quite difficult to "get right" as the player's age, size and skill level are all factors to be considered. As a rule of thumb, lighter is better. Bats have two specifications: length (inches) and weight (ounces). These measurements are usually shown on the knob and the barrel of the bat as “28/18”. The first # is the length; the second # is the weight. Sometimes bats are described with a minus factor (i.e. “-10”). This refers to the difference between length and weight. Bats with a factor of -10 or greater are best (but slightly more expensive). The following charts depicts length and weight ranges that offers some guidance by age range:
| Age | Bat length | Bat weight |
4-6 years old | 24"-26" | 14-16 oz. |
7-8 years old | 26"-28" | 16-18 oz. |
9-10 years old | 28"-29" | 17-19 oz. |
11-12 years old | 30"-31" | 18-21 oz. |
13-14 years old | 31"-32" | 19-23 oz. |
15+ years old | 32"-34" | 20-24 oz. |
If you wish to buy a softball with which your daughter can practice, keep in mind that ball size varies by division. Rookies and (8U) use a 10-inch ball. 10U uses an 11-inch ball. 12U and 14U use a 12-inch ball.
Coaching staff and umpires will inspect equipment and if it is found to be deficient in their sole discretion, your daughter will not be allowed to use it in practice or in a game, without exception, until it is fixed or replaced.
Also, you may have seen a rise in the use of fielding masks - the metal or plastic face cages worn in the field. GFSO does not require the use of fielding masks and leaves that decision to the player's family to make. However, the League encourages each family to evaluate the use of fielding masks, especially for pitchers and infielders and certainly as early as Rookies/8U and particularly higher divisions.
Practice Dress Code:
GFSO requires that all players arrive at the time practice is scheduled to begin, fully dressed and prepared. The player must wear softball appropriate clothing and gear during the entire practice. This minimally includes softball glove, cleats, shirts that will be tucked in, sliding pants, long socks and ball caps or visors. The player should not wear school, tennis shoes or sneakers, mid-drift, halter or short tops, short socks, jewelry of any kind (including earrings), inappropriate pants or shorts. For the player's safety, the coach will make final determinations of whether the player is prepared and may ask the player to sit out of practice if she is not prepared.
Game Dress Code:
GFSO requires that all players arrive at the time the coaches identify prior to game start (usually 1 hour prior to the game), fully dressed and prepared to warm up. The player must wear their assigned uniform, socks and black sliding pants for all games. All shirts required to be tucked in for the entire game without exception and the umpire will stop the game until everyone complies. For the protection of the player, jewelry of any kind is not allowed during a game, including earrings.