From ASA

Tough call on cleats

First off. Ringors are generally heavier but there's a reason. They offer far better arch support than any other cleat. Pitchers feet take a beating. Remember, aside from the catcher, they are really the only players who don't spend most of the time just standing around! If your daughter's a pitcher she should wear Ringors. Metal cleats are a huge advantage if you're daughter's a 'leaper' (almost all hard throwers are). To generate velocity the plant foot needs good traction (especially if you're throwing the rise). Many HS fields are sand pits so the metal cleats would help. If she's a 'stepper' then it probably doesn't matter much. I do think that there will be issues if she's a hard thrower and uses metal cleats in school ball, gets used to being able to stop the plant foot and then has to go back to rubber cleats in the summer. Some of these fields are so hard (think Freedom Florence) that she'll be sliding all over the place. Bottom line if travel is most important (and it is if she wants to play beyond HS) I'd stick with what I was going to play in the summer.

 

Cleats

have U looked a Tanel cleats, light weight and comfortable, at least that is what the young ladies tell me.

 

Tanels

Yeah, I have considered them, I just wish she could try them on. She doesn't really like the look of them but I think if she tried them, she might like them. Anybody seen them around here? I know they are available retail but haven't seen them anywhere.

 

Upper Deck Sports in Huntersville....

I used to play with a girl who's dad co-owns Upper Deck Sports and he's the one who got me into Tanels. I will NEVER wear Ringors again. They are HEAVY, even the Diamond Stars, compared to Tanels. Not to mention I have went through 3 pairs of the things this year.

Anyway, he is a retailer for the Tanels, and he may have some this weekend out there in Salisbury to look at.....

The pitcher from the Troublemakers helped us out last weekend in Huntersville, and she had ordered some from him and he brought them to her.....they are pink and black....VERY cool....different, but I like different!

By the way, his name is Jim Bennett and his daughter is playing for the 14U Comets....look him up if you wanna look at some! I LOVE them....I'm no pitcher, but I'm a catcher, and the lighter the better for me....I need all the help I can get!

 

Pink Tanels

I hope you can see them in this picture.....

 

Changes

One other big newsworthy change regards the Regional National tournaments. In the past we were only allowed to play our region National unless you qualified for the USA/ASA Nationaln. That has been changed to allow us to play at any of them. This has kept some teams from attending a National in the past. It should give us all another option for an ASA National. FYI the National dates and places for '08 are listed on the ASA website, www.softball.org

 

Tanel Cleats

If you are interested in Tanel cleats locally,
pm me.

 

Mizuno 9 spike

Mizuno has a new light weight metal spike for 2008.

Excellent shoe.... also comes in mid size for ankle support

 

My daughter(pitcher) just switched to the Tanel's. She moved from the Ringor Lights. She likes the feel, support and weight of the Tanel. We bought them at Plantation where the Tanel had a booth - she was able to try them on and walk in them. They have little to no breakin required. We had the debate to wait and switch to metal but decided to stay with molded for the time being... now that ASA says no to Metal, I guess that works out.