Imagine your 7-year old going outdoors and preparing to play baseball with his friends. It should be a delightful sight to behold, until his brows raise out of frustration with his gloves. The last thing you would want to see is the expensive glove slipping off your kid’s hand.
Therefore, it is essential to know what size baseball glove for 7 year old is best before actually buying one. And there are many tools for finding the right glove size for your child besides sizing charts.
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Baseball Glove for 7 Year Olds
The right baseball glove size for your 7-year old kid is 10.25 – 12.25 inches. Note also that such a range is inclusive of ages within the 8-12 bracket.
More specific ranges, 11.5″ – 12″, 10.25″ – 11.5″, and 11.5″ – 12.25″, are fit based on the individual hand sizes and three usual positions played by a seven-year-old baseball player–first base, outfield, and infield.
But ideally, according to experts, it would be helpful to first determine the glove size based on position instead of the actual hand size.
Which Baseball Level Does the Glove for 7 Year Olds Belong?
The size glove for 7 year old or sizes for ages 7-12 belong to the youth baseball level.
How Do I Know if the Glove Size Fits
The most practical and basic method to find the right baseball glove size for 7 year old is to let the kid wear it. Ask him the following questions as he wears the glove:
- Does your hand get inside the glove quickly?
- Try to bring your hand downward. Does the glove slip off or fall to the ground?
- Does it feel too tight or just right?
Now, these questions importantly capture the unique glove size experiences among seven-year-old kids. With just chart figures/sizes/measurements for kids baseball glove size, you cannot be sure if the kid is comfortable in a given size. Yes, the sizes match. But the ultimate question should be: is the wearer comfortable?
Moreover, upon wearing, see if there are extra two inches between the top of his index finger and the very tip of the glove. Use a measuring tape to be specific.
Finally, ask your kid if he can comfortably move his fingers inside the glove.
Is It Okay for a 7-year Old to Wear a Stiff Glove
Although some kids can manage with a stiff glove over time, most kids would feel discouraged with an extremely hard/stiff glove. The main factor that causes them to feel this with a stiff baseball glove is discomfort. And with this discomfort, the chances are that the kids will not be able to perform well in baseball.
When a kid wears the baseball glove, he should ideally be able to close and open the glove just right so that it does not fall off because of extreme looseness. The kid’s ability to close and open the glove indicates whether he is comfortable with the glove and if the glove’s leather material is efficient for playing.
If you bought a stiff 7 year old baseball glove size for your kid due to a lack of options, make sure to break in the glove.
How to Effectively Break in a Baseball Glove
Here are steps on how to break in a baseball glove effectively:
- Step 1: Apply oil on the entire glove: Apply a generous amount of oil glove on a cloth or sponge. After applying, wipe the whole area of the glove with the oil-wet cloth/sponge. Finally, make sure not to miss any glove sections (especially the lace and in-between finger sections).
- Do not forget to remove extra oil from the glove using another clean cloth/sponge/paper towel.
- Step 2: Bend the glove to shape it: To encourage it to shape, you must first create its pocket. The best way to form the pocket is to place a ball (preferably an actual baseball bat) in the glove. Once the ball is placed, bend the glove so that the pocket and palm can meet.
- Tighten the bend of the glove to shape it. Wrap the glove using a thick elastic band to support the shape. Make sure to cross the two sides of the band to create an X-shape to keep the ball from falling off.
- Leave the glove in this shape throughout the night at an average temperature. This final step allows the oil to absorb.
- Step 3: Repeatedly pound the glove to soften: With the glove bent to shape, the next best step to do is to pound it with a ball-shaped Mallett (with the ball size preferably matching that of a baseball).
- To begin, put on the glove. Then, repeatedly pound the specific section of the glove where the ball is expected to contact the glove. Do this in 5-7 minutes.
- Finally, continue pounding the glove around any of its sections that still feel stiff. The wearer should be able to tell. Do this for another 2-3 minutes.
- Once done, repeat step no. 2.
- Step 4: Use the glove within days to a week: The ultimate act to breaking in a baseball glove is to wear (or let your kid wear) the glove and play catch with it for several days to a week.
- If stiffness is still felt on specific areas in the glove, take time to pound it again with the mallet during breaks.
- You can also continue applying oil on the surface of the glove after playing catch. Continue doing this until the stiffness is gone from the leather.
Which Gloves Are Highly-Recommended for 7-Year Old
Here are some highly-recommended baseball glove brands for seven-year-old players (in order):
- Mizuno
- Rawlings
- Wilson
- Easton Z-Flex
- Louisville Slugger
- Franklin Sports
Conclusion
Finding out what size baseball glove for 7 year old turns out to be both easy and challenging. It seems easy because the size chart reveals a more or less measurable range between 10.25 -12.25 inches.
On the contrary, it also proves to be challenging since finding a size does not automatically mean a fit. Certain efforts like trying the glove out, breaking it in, and matching the glove based on position still need to be done.
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.
