When playing softball there is a lot of equipment. One piece of equipment that every player will need is a glove. But what a lot of people do not know is that there is more than one type of glove. The kind of glove you get will depend on the position you play.

One type of glove is the catcher’s mitt. If a player is a catcher they will use this glove, it is important because they are usually larger than other gloves and have more padding inside them because the pitches are coming in fast.

“I normally play shortstop, but recently my coach has asked me to catch sometimes during games so I have to use a catcher’s glove,” freshman Jessica Fehr said.

If a player plays first base they have to use a first baseman glove. These gloves also tend to be larger. Another unique aspect of this glove is that it has no definite finger slots.

Other infields will use what is called an infielders glove. These gloves are smaller than catcher’s and first base gloves, and they have defined finger slots. A shallow pocket allows infielder to quickly get the ball out of their glove and field it.

Outfielders will use outfielder’s gloves. They have to reach up for fly balls and bend down for ground balls so their glove must help with both of these tasks.

The glove is made to be long as a first basemen’s mitt. It also has a deep pocket, which allows the glove to catch fly balls more easily.

Having the correct glove in essential when playing softball.

“I am a pitcher and I also play first base, so I have two gloves. When I am pitching I use an infielder’s glove, but when I am at first base I use a first base man’s glove,” sophomore Liz Izworski said.