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Related: Check back on Dec. 5 for our Top Gifts Under $25!

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Related: Check back on Monday to see our Cyber Monday deals!

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It’s time for Round 2 of our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide. Today it’s all about our top gifts for parents.

Whether your parent is a current player, former player or just a fan, we have the gift for you. We ranked our top 6 gifts for dads, softball moms and all around softball fans. Check ‘em out:

6. SoftQube Softball Holder ($4.99)

For the parent with souvenir softballs and nowhere to put them. The SoftQube is an easy way to display keepsake softballs, whether it’s Mom’s signed Jennie Finch ball that was sitting in the attic or your first home run ball in fastpitch.

5. Rawlings Heart of the Hide Leather Wallet ($44.99)

The Heart of the Hide Leather Wallet is made with the same leather used in Rawlings’ pro-grade gloves. That means this glove will last for years and will break in nicely in any back pocket.

4. Louisville Personalized Pink Wood Baseball Bat

Great for the parent who could use something nice for the mantle or office. This custom made Louisville Slugger bat comes with his or her name personalized on the barrel, just like in the big leagues.

For every purchase, Louisville Slugger will donate $10 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

3. Team Express Custom Glove Gift Card ($325-475)

Want to get Mom or Dad the perfect glove? Let him personalize it himself! The Team Express Custom Glove Gift Card covers a custom made Rawlings or Wilson glove, allowing your parent to nail down the specifics.

2. Shoeless Joe Golden Era Series Baseball Glove ($139.99)

They don’t make them like they used to? Shoeless Joe does.

Shoeless Joe’s Golden Era Series features gloves from specific eras in baseball history. Each glove is made using the preferred materials and construction style of the time, making this a perfect gift for a nostalgic hardball or AAGPBL fan.

1. Rawlings Leather Glove Chair and Ottoman Combo ($4,999.99)

The ultimate gift for the perfect fan cave. The Leather Glove Chair and Ottoman Combo is made with Rawlings’ premium Heart of the Hide leather (the same stuff used in the gloves) for superb feel and quality.

The glove chair can be customized just like your favorite softball glove (call for details).

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Looking for that perfect softball gift but not sure where to start? We have some ideas.

We’re kicking off our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide today, and over the next few weeks we’ll take a look at gift ideas for kids, parents, players and fans. We’ll see some of our top stocking stuffers and top gifts under $25.

Today, we start with the best gloves and bats for kids.

This part of the guide is divvied into two sections: Hardcore players and casual enthusiasts.

Hardcore players are kiddos that don’t need any extra motivation to play. They’re committed to the game, and it’s easy to tell that they’ll be playing for years to come.

Casual enthusiasts are youngsters just getting into the sport or players who aren’t primarily interested in softball. They might play softball next summer, and then the next year, they might move on to another sport.

We’ll start with casual enthusiasts.

A new bat or glove is an easy way to boost a youngster’s interest, but if she might only use it for a season, the best option is quality gear that doesn’t cost too much.

That makes the Louisville Slugger Youth Diva Series ($27.99) a killer option.

The Diva Series is designed specifically for youth fastpitch players just starting out. The soft buffalo leather palm and mesh backing require no break-in, and the lightweight backing makes this glove easy to close.

Along these lines, another great glove option for casual players is the Wilson Flash Series ($34.99). It’s made with flexible materials for an easy glove to close, so young players can maximize their enjoyment while they learn the game. Also: The Easton Youth Z Flex ($19.99).

If a new bat is more her style, the thought process is the same. The ideal bat is one that’ll improve the player’s enjoyment of the game without costing too much.

Look no further than the 2014 Mizuno Finch G5 ($34.99-69.99).

Named after one of the true icons of the sport, the Finch G5 is designed to help a young player feel like she’s playing like Jennie Finch while on the diamond.

The MZ-1700 aluminum alloy is balanced with most of the bat’s weight in the handle. That gives it an affordable price tag and a light swing weight, which allows the player to get her bat around the ball more easily. It also uses Mizuno’s custom cushioned grip, which reduces bat sting.

For hardcore players, check out these options

Hardcore players are no longer beginners, and they’ve begun building their skillsets. That means that an entry level glove wouldn’t be best.

Instead, this player needs a glove that allows her to keep developing her talents.

The Mizuno Prospect Fastpitch Glove ($32.99-49.99) is a perfect fit.

The Mizuno Prospect Fastpitch Glove uses a comfortable palm pad and inner lining, and it is designed with a strategically placed notch to help close the glove around the ball and also teach the player good longterm habits.

The Prospect Fastpitch uses high-quality leather, which allows it to be used for multiple seasons.

As for bats, this year’s hottest youth bat is the DeMarini CF6 -11 Fastpitch Bat ($299.99).

The CF6 has all of the ingredients to help younger players take their game to the next level. The lightweight composite material in the barrel allowed DeMarini’s engineers to stretch the barrel for a larger hitting surface.

The two piece design also aids in vibration reduction and power transfer, and it is evenly balance, allowing younger players to stay ahead of pitches in select leagues.

Up Next: On Nov. 26, we’ll take a look at some of the top gifts for parents.

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Michele Smith isn’t slowing down any time soon.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist and ESPN analyst is a tireless advocate for the sport. Not only is she helping lead the charge to get softball re-instated in the Olympics, she’s also hands on with developing the next generation of players.

Michele is always on the go as a player, an instructor and an ambassador for a number of other causes. We got a chance to catch up with her earlier this month, and we chatted about the state of the game…

S.com: What is the status of softball now that the Olympic decision is over?

M.S.: The IOC decision to keep wrestling in the Olympics was a heartbreaking blow to baseball and softball. Unfortunately, our great sport will not be on display in Rio.

With Tokyo earning the host city bid for the 2020 Olympics, there is a small chance the organizing committee will add baseball and softball to the program. The Japanese are huge fans and an Olympic Games held in their country would not feel complete without them on the program.

S.com: How does the Olympic decision affect Softball in the US?

M.S.: Softball in the USA remains very strong, from the youth level all the way up to the increased competition in NCAA collegiate softball. Young athletes are increasingly specializing in one sport, with hopes to play for their favorite college team or their parent’s alma mater. The increase in summer/travel ball teams and tournaments means athletes are playing year-round. These are all positive steps for our sport.

The negative effect of softball being removed from the Olympic program is the decrease in national team funding from the national governing body, which will greatly impact countries that are without collegiate or professional teams.

S.com: What will happen to softball around the world?

M.S.: This question is a huge concern given how many countries fund and support the sport. Many countries finance a performance institute to develop junior athletes into future Olympic athletes. With softball not an Olympic sport, those funds will likely be allocated to other sports. Even more than before, it’s imperative that, as the worldwide leader, USA Softball continues to travel globally to spread our sport by engaging new players while instructing in the proper techniques and strategies.

S.com: How do I make myself visible and get noticed so I can get a scholarship?

M.S.: Getting a college scholarship is very competitive as more athletes enter the sport. More of the impetus is on the player, to proactively reach out to coaches and let them know you are interested in their programs. Don’t wait for them to find you. Participating in off-season camps and clinics are critical activities.

It’s also important to be well-rounded, with a passionate work ethic, strong grades and a positive attitude! Being coachable and a great teammate are traits all coaches seek.

S.com: What’s the most important pitch I can learn?

M.S.: Once a pitcher has the ability to hit corners and work zones off the plate with a fastball, I advise young pitchers to learn the change-up, followed by the drop pitch. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting to learn four or five different pitches, but that will only slow your progress. Change-up first, drop second and then depending on your natural pitching style, a curve or rise. Be very careful when young pitchers are learning the screwball, as the mechanics of this pitch can damage the elbow if thrown incorrectly.

S.com: What’s the most important thing I can do off the field in order to become a better softball player?

M.S.: Working hard is important but expected. Working smart will make you better, and at a faster rate. Dedicate yourself to an off-field conditioning and strength training program – making it a priority just like ‘on the field’ practices. Everyone on the field should be able to run a 5k without any issues, while pitchers should also do sprints and work on recovery. Pitchers need to have very strong legs, a strong core and back in order to take care of their shoulder.

Related: Follow Michele on Twitter!

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You can catch her on Twitter at @ascarborough.

—

I recently posted on a question on my Facebook page,

“How often do you think is the right practice amount?”

How these questions usually work is I ask fans to answer during the day, and then at night I share with my own personal answer. The answers from those who weighed in varied from 4-5 days a week to some saying that they felt like something should be practiced every day. As a warning, the blog this week is kind of lengthy, but it’s just such a big topic that I get asked about so much, I wanted to cover a lot of bases! If you like this blog, please forward and share!

Now, this is a question I get asked a ton, especially about pitchers, and it’s a really hard question to answer because it’s going to vary for everybody, but I do have a rule of thumb I like to go by. In my own opinion, if you are practicing 3 days a week, you are maintaining (whether it’s hitting, pitching, taking ground balls, or catching). If you are practicing 2 days a week, you are most likely digressing and NOT getting better. If you are practicing 4+ days a week, you are getting better. There are several variables that affect these rules — focus, effort and intensity.

INPUT gets OUTPUT

It’s important to understand as a parent and as a coach there is NO SET AMOUNT ACROSS THE BOARD THAT EVERYONE SHOULD PRACTICE. We are all unique individuals, thus our practice plans should be customized and everyone’s input is going to vary from person to person. The most asked question I get is, “how many pitches should my daughter be throwing a week?” or “How many swings should my daughter be taking a week?” Parents love this question because they can’t wait to hear the answer out of my mouth just so they can tell their player, “Well Amanda Scarborough said you have to throw x amount of pitches if you want to be a great pitcher.” Unfortunately, I never give parents the answer they want to hear because I do not believe there is a set amount for everybody across the board.

This question is unique to everybody. It’s up to you as a player to learn yourself — gauge and be honest with yourself about your input (the time you are putting into practicing) and the output (the results you are getting on the field come game time.) DON’T BE FRUSTRATED ABOUT YOUR RESULTS IF YOU ARE NOT PUTTING IN THE WORK. At the same time, if you keep practicing 3 times a week and you really thought that was enough but you aren’t getting the game results you want and you’re getting frustrated, it sounds like it’s time to change something. Try practicing 4 times a week and see if that yields different results. Change the input to change the output. If you don’t change the input, the output will never change.

We all know those freak athletes who only need to practice 2-3 times a week, maybe even just practice once a week, and they can show up to the field and have great results. Then there is the other side where someone practices 5 times a week and doesn’t get as many good results. That’s life, and everybody is going to be different, but it’s up to you as a player and as parents to really sit down, be realistic, and understand the amount of INPUT that you need to be giving each week to get the OUTPUT you desire. There is no number I can tell you that will be the magic number.

VARIABLES FOR YOUR INPUT

There are different variables that can affect your input at practice.

Focus, Effort and Intensity

Focus, to me, refers to how locked in your brain is for your practice. Is your practice at a quiet place that is one on one? Or are kids running around everywhere and friends coming up to you interrupting you every 4 minutes? Are you just going through the motions or thinking about every swing? At practice, think about the way a swing or a pitch feels. Remember that your brain and muscles never take a swing off, they are constantly learning and trying to figure out where YOU want them to be to complete a swing or complete a pitch. If you are just going through the motions, your muscles and brain are learning that that is okay and that’s how you want them to be.

The more focused you are, the more you will be able to feel your reps. The more you can feel something, you will be able to tell what you are doing wrong and what you need to correct. And on a positive side, the more you feel the good swings or pitches, the more your brain will be able to connect and create muscle memory. By taking every rep seriously, your muscles can lock in better to where you want them to be. Just remember your muscles and brain are never taking time off when you are practicing, so it’s important to have very solid focus for every swing so that you are not creating poor muscle memory. In most cases, the more focus you have for every rep, the fewer reps you will have to take.

Practices will have different intensities. In my mind, intensity means how serious the practice is and how much knowledge is being processed in a practice time. I think of most private lessons as very intense — there’s a lot of information flowing and corrections being made. Lessons are like a school class… constant ideas being learned. Take Calculus, for example, a subject which most of us know nothing about and have to learn from scratch. Would you be able to listen to Calculus concepts for two hours straight and be able to actually learn the information you heard? Probably not. 30-45 minutes would be an easier amount of time to take in that information and try to put that information to use. Pitching or hitting is about the same way. A lesson** should be filled with learning and new concepts. If you go too long, it can be information overload, especially for younger kids. Parents and coaches get VERY itchy to move fast in lessons, and it’s not necessary. Just like you’re not going to learn Calculus all in one day, you’re not going to learn pitching all in one day.

**Side Note about lessons: If you are paying someone to teach your daughter, trust in their expert knowledge and the road they are leading you on to make your daughter the very best they can be. Most hitting and pitching coaches are experts in their specialized fields. So let’s act like you are an accountant and I am paying you to do my taxes — you are an expert in the field of accounting. Now, I know a little bit about taxes, but would you want me to tell you how to do your job? Parents take a different idea on this and try to be controlling with lessons a) because parents see a coach every week or every two weeks so they grow a relationship/friendship with that coach, which usually makes parents feel like they can give a little more input than some other service they are paying for b) every parent wants to protect their little girl and make sure she is in good hands and on the right path. Parents, TRUST IN YOUR COACH. If you are feeling like you cannot trust in the information you are getting from your coach, then it sounds like you should find another one that you DO trust.

OK, OK, back on track — Remember that lessons are NOT the only time you should be practicing during the week. Take those concepts and things to work on from lessons and truly give focus on those key items when you go practice on your own. Consider it homework when you are practicing without your coach. And, if you haven’t mastered those concepts by your next lesson, why would you think it’s time to move on and learn something new? I LOVE THIS ANALOGY — Think of practicing (especially pitching) like building a house. What’s the first thing you have to do to build a house? Have to put down the foundation and take time to let it set. Now you can’t hurry in setting that foundation, because if the foundation is not right underneath the house, then it will only be a matter of time before that house starts to crumble down or lose its value. Beginner pitching mechanics are like building that foundation for a house. If you hurry over the pitching foundation, then it’s only a matter of time until that pitching motion might break down. It might be in middle school, maybe even it lasts until high school. The more solid foundation your house has, the longer it will last. The more solid your foundation of mechanics are, the longer you will last as a solid pitcher, which can go for lasting in a game and lasting in your career. SO my point is, don’t be in a rush.

Master the mechanics along the way before you move on to what may seem as the “bigger and better” things in your own head as a parent. Remember, in most cases, the higher the intensity, the shorter the practice (or lesson) can be. Also, remember that the more solid the foundation, the less you have to practice later to fix major habits and you can focus on other things to make you a better player!

PLAN AHEAD (Time Management)

My best advice is at the beginning of the week (probably on a Sunday) is to sit down and look at a calendar and plan your week. Take out a calendar where you can look at your week ahead and write down everything you have going on that week — tests, team practice, lessons, working out, birthday parties, homecomings, etc. Write it down so you can look ahead and know exactly what you have going on and there are no surprises. This way, you can plan when you want practice on your own. I can’t stress to you enough the importance of getting in individual practice time on your own, not just practicing when you are at lessons and not just practicing when your team practices. You always have an opportunity to practice more on your own by coming early to practice and pitching/hitting/taking ground balls on your own before you team practice starts. This is something that happens a TON in college, as there is a certain amount of hours college teams are allowed to practice as a team during each week (20). Because of that limitation, players are encouraged to come early or stay late. Why not start this practice now on your own with your tournament team? If you are some of those parents or one of those players that are complaining that you don’t get enough ground balls at team practice, what’s stopping you from getting to the field early and taking some ground balls or taking some swings before practice starts, or staying after practice ends? It never hurts to practice outside of the team practice days as well.

One of the biggest things you learn in college is Time Management — understanding how to balance class, softball, friendships, family, rest and study time. There are many times you have to sacrifice, and that idea of “balance” is different for everyone. What works for me for balance, might not work for someone else. Someone might look at MY life and think that I don’t have any balance; that it’s more work heavy. We create our OWN definition of balance, and it’s important to listen to your own body to know where you need to give and take and what you need more or less of in your life.

The one thing we ALL have in common is TIME and those who can understand how to balance everything will have a better chance at succeeding and taking your game to the next level. Plan when you are going to put in time to study for your test. You know in advance when your tests are going to be, so go ahead and plan study/preparation time for a test or for a paper. Don’t wait until the last minute! In college, it is no longer acceptable to miss practice because you have a big test. It’s up to you as a student to PLAN AHEAD and work in time to study into your week. By laying out everything to where you can see it on a calendar, you know exactly what you have in the week ahead of you.

DON’T GET BURNED OUT

In my own opinion, practicing every day is not a good thing for a player to stay sane and continue to love the sport. I think it’s so important to plan to take time off from softball. Make sure you plan days off or plan weeks off when it is necessary. When I say “days off” I mean days off of softball completely. Take a day off every now and then where not only do you not play softball, but you don’t even talk about it. (I know you can do it!) I promise your kids will appreciate you for it. After a long summer season take 1-2 weeks off of softball, then pick it back up and ease back into it. Our MINDS need a break from softball and our BODIES need a break from softball. Especially if you are someone who practices with high intensity, focus and effort, time off is even more important for you. The higher the intensity, focus and effort you practice with, the more time off your body and mind need. As a parent, push a little bit and see if your kid takes the bait. Don’t push to the point where there are tears and fighting. Everybody needs a little push sometimes. That’s normal, we ALL need that.

In my eyes, PASSION comes out through effort, intensity and focus. If someone loves this game, those things will come naturally and they will be more likely to play softball for a longer time in their lives. If someone does not have that effort, intensity and focus, maybe they just don’t love it that much. I don’t know about you, but the more passion I have at something, I willingly put more time and effort into it because I just can’t get enough of it. This is just a normal life lesson and it applies to softball, too.

At the end of the day, the amount of days you practice is up to YOU. Don’t rely on someone to TELL you how much to practice. My favorite quote is, “The harder you work the luckier you get.”

Nobody else makes you lucky, you make you lucky!

Related: Follow Amanda on twitter at @ascarborough.

It’s hoodie weather, so we looked through our stock of cold weather gear to find the best ones we’ve got.

Here’s the best of the best. The Creme de la Creme. These are our top hoodies, based on sales, popularity and positive customer reviews. Check ‘em out.

7. Adidas Men’s ClimaWarm Ultimate Hoodie ($49.99)

6. Under Armour Signature Sideline Hoodie ($64.99)

5. EvoShield Fleece Performance Hoodie ($59.99)

4. Russell Adult Dri-POWER Fleece Hoodie ($19.99)

3. Under Armour Men’s Fleece Team Hoodie ($49.99)

2. EvoShield Swag-Tech Training Hoodie ($39.99)

1. Nike Adult Premier Fleece Hoodie ($54.99)

Related: Browse our entire selection of softball outerwear and jackets.

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If you’ve checked out our Fastpitch Bats page lately, you might’ve seen that we have 52 brand new bat models in stock.

It can be a lot to sort through, so we thought we’d boil it down to the Crème de la Crème. The best of the best. Sorting by popularity and customer reviews, here are the Top 5 new bats of Fall 2013*, heading into next spring:

5. Mizuno Whiteout 2014 Fastpitch Softball Bat

They don’t just make comfy shoes. Mizuno’s 2014 fastpitch bats feature some tweaks in the barrel for a larger sweetspot and an endloaded version for power hitters. Get it for $299.99.

4. Easton Mako Fastpitch Softball Bat

The Mako is the crown jewel of Easton’s 2014 update to the Power Brigade. Brand new Thermo Composite Technology allowed Easton to create a bat with an XL frame that’s balanced like a speed series bat. Get it for $349.99.

3. DeMarini 2014 CF6 Fastpitch Softball Bat

The CF5 was one of the top bats of 2013, and the CF6 takes it to another level. This year’s version is updated with a new Paradox Composite doublewall barrel. Get it for $299.99.

2. Louisville Slugger 2014 LXT Fastpitch Softball Bat

Slugger claims the top two spots in our list, with the newcomer LXT in at the runner up. Fully composite, it’s Slugger’s first-ever 3-piece fastpitch bat. Get it for $349.99.

1. Louisville Slugger Xeno 2014 Fastpitch Softball Bat

The Xeno was the hottest bat of 2013, and by all early accounts, the 2014 update is looking even better. The aluminum inner disc creates an extra large sweet spot and killer pop. Get it for $299.99.

*Depending on reviews and popularity changes before next spring, this list is subject to change, of course.

Related: Shop our entire selection of fastpitch softball bats.

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