Softball Field and Team/Personal Equipment for the VRSL 2022-24 Seasons

 

  1. Set of bases (one orange/white “double” safety 1st Base, plus two single white bases)
  2. Home Plate (rubber, waffle-bottom style)
  3. Scoring Plate (optional – inexpensive $4-$8, the “safety” home plate used for scoring runs)
  4. Pitching Rubber (optional – to help pitchers adhere to the 45’ minimum pitching distance)
  5. Base spikes:  2 spikes for 1st base and *1 each for 2nd/3rd bases (*2 spikes per base is much safer)
  6. Hammer (recommend 16+ oz. to pound spikes into hard fields, claws for removing spikes)
  7. Large straight spike (optional – for “pre-drilling” holes in hard ground for your regular base spikes)
  8. Small orange cones (pylons, not discs) - 8” or higher (six to eight cones total)
  9. 100 foot measuring tape
  10. Large bag to carry equipment (old hockey bags work well)

 

Items supplied by League:  7 new games balls (for all Mat-Ball and 4-Pitch teams)

Mat-Ball: Strike-mats (home plate extension mats)

4-Pitch: Dead-ball zone cones (soccer discs)

 

The League has some base sets available for sale: All 3 bases and 6 spikes - $100.  Home plate - $15.  Heavy duty base spikes - $15.  These are our 2023 prices.

 

Softball-specific equipment:  Places like MVP Athletic (Langley now sadly) and Prostock Athletic (Bby) will give you a 10% discount if you mention “VanRec Softball League.”  Abbies (on Main St.) or Canadian Tire or Sportchek or Home Run Sports (Surrey) are other options.

 

Hammer; measuring tape: 100’ tape and heavy claw hammer (Canadian Tire or Home Depot or Summit Tools, etc;)… look for sale prices.

 

Base spikes - there are two basic types: 

1) a two-part system (aka: “Chicago-style”) – a straight spike with an “S-shaped” clip to attach the spike to the base.  This is the better system. 

2)  is a one-piece spike that has an open triangle-shaped head (for hooking to the base strap).  We don’t recommend this style base spike system: due to the triangle shape, the hammering force is not fully directed straight down into the ground – which will make hammering into hard ground more difficult.  As well, the opening for the strap gets hammered shut very quickly, making removal from the base difficult.  These spikes are less expensive for a reason.

 

 Pylons:  you can find small orange traffic cones (pylons) at Canadian Tire or Sportchek or many sports and hardware stores.  We recommend having 6 minimum, but our standard field setup uses 8 cones: the outfield foul line and the non-encroachment boundary (4); the out-of-play boundary (2); the commitment line (1); the safe line - for scoring runs – (1).  Please do not use the short, soccer/ultimate field marker discs (except as hazard markers for holes and sprinkler heads, etc) - they are too short and too light.  We do recommend that each team carry a few extra cones or discs for marking field hazards (small holes or sprinkler heads, etc.).

 

Bats:  lots of options for places to buy.  Do not buy or use baseball bats, titanium bats, altered bats, senior bats ( BPF 1.21 or higher).  Also not allowed:  Softball Canada and USSSA non-compliant bats.

 

Shoes – soft rubber-cleated recommended over runners.  Metal, hard plastic or nylon cleats are illegal.

 

Batting helmets: suggested, not required.  Face protectors for catcher/pitcher:  suggested, not required.