Not knowing which baseball bat size to choose can frustrate parents. An issue as small as bat size difference can affect your kid’s first practices.
The bat is supposed to make practicing easier with a comfortable hold, weight, and ideal dimension. That is how crucial bat size is, particularly for young and beginning players. Read on to find out what size baseball bat for 8 year old to buy. Let your kids start the games right!
Contents
- Baseball Bat Size for 8 Year Old
- Should I Go for a Heavier Baseball Bat for My 8-year Old
- How Do I Tell if the Bat Is Too Heavy for My 8-year Old
- How Do I Tell if the Bat Is Too Long for My 8-year Old
- How Do I Find a Lighter Bat for My 8-year Old
- Which Should I Follow for Sizing: the Chart or the Body
- What Are Baseball Rules and Regulations on Baseball Bats
- Conclusion
Baseball Bat Size for 8 Year Old
The perfect baseball size bat for 8 year old is 26” in length and 18oz in weight. This configuration nevertheless weighs in on crucial aspects of a baseball bat- comfortability, gripping, sufficient weight for swinging, durability, and handling ease.
In addition, the given baseball bat size for 8 year old boy derives from the kid’s weight. And that should be the case because the kid’s weight, in turn, significantly determines how he can support the baseball bat’s weight. So if you are looking at a baseball sizing chart, you will always notice a distinct category for the weight.
Should I Go for a Heavier Baseball Bat for My 8-year Old
The assumption that heavier baseball bats are well off since 8-year old kids grow up anyway is counterproductive. Experts advise against buying a heavier baseball bat size for 8 year old for several reasons:
- Firstly, it should be difficult for the kid to hold and swing the bat if it is heavier than they can handle. Besides the fact that it can cause him to feel discouraged with the game, he might miss the proper batting techniques, or worse, hurt himself in the long run.
- Secondly, bat weight and length ratios do not change even when the kid grows up, significantly if he uses the wrong baseball bat size. If he continues to use the wrong or illegal bat, he will eventually fail to grow the right muscles.
- Handling a bat does not necessarily go with having to get used to it. The immediate comfort obtained upon holding the bat tells enough about the quality of its length, weight, and size.
- Finally, baseball bat sizes and designs have had to satisfy the standards set to stone by the baseball rules and regulations. Meanwhile, these standards are preceded dominantly by the kid’s age, level, and league.
How Do I Tell if the Bat Is Too Heavy for My 8-year Old
The best means to know if the bat is too heavy for your 8-year old kid, outside using a bat size chart, is to let her hold the bat (from within its handle) directly to his side or raise it arm-straight.
If she can keep holding it for 30-45 seconds, then the bat’s weight is just right for him. However, if the barrel begins to drop within under 30 seconds, it should be too heavy for her.
That is how you if the bat is too heavy for your kid.
How Do I Tell if the Bat Is Too Long for My 8-year Old
For you to know if the bat is too long for your kid, let him position the bat’s knob starting from the middle part of his chest and extending sideways through his arm and into his index finger. If he can grasp the end of the barrel with his hand, he’s got the perfect baseball bat length for him.
On the other hand, if the bat does not reach his palm, it should be too short for him.
How Do I Find a Lighter Bat for My 8-year Old
The best means to find the lighter bat for your 8-year old is to calculate its drop. The drop is obtained by subtracting the weight from the length. For instance, a 22 oz bat minus 32 inches equates to a -10 bat drop.
To find the lighter bat, pick the one with the higher drop result.
But remember: you cannot go lighter than the standard set for 8u players. After all, proper bat swing requires the balance between heaviness and lightness of the bat’s barrel.
The standard drop range for a baseball bat (based on the previously mentioned weight to length ratio) is between -10 to -12.
Which Should I Follow for Sizing: the Chart or the Body
You can begin sizing and measuring using your kid’s body. Also, letting your kid handle the bat before actually buying it ensures you a 70-80% success in finding the right baseball bat size.
However, it should not stop there. The baseball bat sizing chart exists for a reason; that reason has to do with verification. One of the two methods should work, especially when you are unsure of the result obtained from either method.
So the best thing to do is to let your 8-year old look and feel the bat from all angles. And you can only do that with all available methods, and, of course, the right questions like:
- Does it feel too heavy or light?
- Can you grip it well?
- Can you hold it to the side and bring it up? Can you hold it up for more seconds?
- Can you swing it properly?
- Is it too long?
- Plus many more…
Finally, the last set of questions must be asked not to the kid but to yourself. These questions relate to the baseball rules and regulations.
What Are Baseball Rules and Regulations on Baseball Bats
Here are baseball rules and regulations on baseball bats as imposed by the following governing bodies:
Rule 1: USSSA Approval
USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association) regulations allow bats marked with USSSA 1.15 BPF and a weight drop range of -12 to -5.
Outside the standards set above, all other forms of baseball bats are deemed illegal for the USSSA.
Rule 2: BBCOR Standards
The BBCOR (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution) is more concerned with the bat’s trampoline quality and not mainly with the ball exit velocity it produces.
BBCOR standards usually prefer wooden bat materials with -3 weight drop and baseball bat sizes for 8 year old- 31 to 34 inches (high school to college capacity). In other words, BBCOR bats are certainly not for kids.
Rule 3: USA Baseball Standards
USA baseball’s new standards (since 2018) aim to make baseball bats and other peripheries consistent and universal.
Thus, it includes a broader selection of league organizations from Little League, Cal Ripken, Babe Ruth, PONY, Dixie Youth, the American Amateur Baseball Congress, and many more.
Indeed, this set of rules cover certifications for 8u baseball bats as well. And since it vacillates between vast territories, its drop weight standard stretches between -5 to -13.5.
Conclusion
Determining what size baseball bat for 8 year old requires thorough consideration. It includes measuring or sizing the baseball bat using the chart and the kid’s body, inspecting the specs and overall quality of the bat, and referring the bat to the standards or regulations set by the governing bodies – USSSA, USA baseball, and BBCOR.
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A powerful swing and the ball is flying across the field, just one hit, and we might never forget the thrill it brings. I do not know about you, but I never do. Every baseball game is the chance to compete with others and cooperate with your teammate. It is among my biggest passions.
