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1/26/2015
How to Hit in Games Like You Do
in Practice
Cindy Bristow
Softball Excellence
www.softballexcellence.com
[email protected]
What is GAME HITTING?
Making Bat Meet Ball Under Pressure
Knowing When to Swing-NOT Swing
Swings Are Precious – 6 Per Game (approx)
3 At-Bats Per Game
About 2 Swings Per At-Bat
Swings Are Like Gold!
Use Them Wisely
More Time Between Swings
Slow Yourself Down
Master Your Mind
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What is PRACTICE HITTING?
Less Pressure
Lots of Stations
Nobody Looking
Less Decisions
Usually no pitcher involved
Easier
Off T, Toss
Don’t have to pay close attention
No Consequences
A million reps
Pace is Faster
No time to deal adjust or get mad
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How Hitting Differs in Practice & Games?
Practice – Repeating the Swing
Game – Competing with the Swing
Lesson Is:
To Improve Swing: Add More Reps to Practice
Less Pressure & Consequence
More Repetitive Work
To Improve Hitting in Games: Add More
Competing to Practice
Less Reps
More Pressure & Consequence
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Hitters Need 2 Types of Hitting Work
Swing Work / Fundamentals, Mechanics
Swing Drills & T Work
Usually Practice: 90 - 95%
eCLINIC: Successful Hitting Through a Detailed Knowledge of Swing
Hitting Work / Tracking, Selection, Pressure, Consequence
Decisions: Which Ball to Hit, When to Hit it
Ability to Hit Under Pressure
Usually Practice: 5 – 10%
Toss Work
Pitch Work
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Why Mostly Swing Work in Practice?
Organization (easier)
Space (take less area)
Lack of Awareness (didn’t know it wouldn’t help)
Not Sure How to Practice Tracking & PS
Hitting Drills get the Publicity
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GAME HITTING Involves
“Making Bat Meet Ball Under Pressure”
“Knowing When to Swing – NOT Swing”
Timing
Pitch Tracking
Pitch Selection
Pressure
Consequence-Accountability
Practices Must Involve These as Well
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TIMING
What is Timing?
Making Bat Meet Ball
Coordinating Batter’s & Pitcher’s Movement
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Timing – Making Bat Meet Ball
Following Ball (Tracking)
Ball to Hitter vs Hitter to Ball (Patience)
Barrel Meets Ball
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Timing Drill
Bounce T Drill
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Timing – Coordinating Batter & Pitcher
Pitcher not Ready – Batter not Ready
Pitcher Kind-of Ready – Batter Kind-of Ready
Pitcher Ready – Batter Ready
Ball Moves at Batter – Batter Moves at Ball
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PITCH TRACKING vs. PITCH SELECTION
TRACKING - Seeing a Ball Travels Toward You
LOCATION & SPEED
Involves Seeing/Following
PITCH SELECTION – Making Right Decision on
Balls You Track
SWING-NOT SWING
Involves Action
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TRACKING
Seeing Ball as it Travels Toward You
Involves Seeing-Knowing:
Speed
Height
Direction
Prediction
Created Through:
Repetition - Seeing Movement Pitches
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Tracking Drills
Popcorn Spit
Back & Side Catching
Front Toss
12 inch
7 inch
Cone Calls
Crazy Balls
Zip Disk Hitting
Pitch Watching
Lane Hitting
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Popcorn Spit
NO Bat - Popcorn Kernel in Mouth
Swing & Spit Popcorn
Hit the Ball as it Passes by
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Back Catching
Pitcher Pitches –
Hitter notices how she tracks ball & when she catches it
USE CATCHING EYES to HIT!
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Side Catching
Pitcher Pitches –
Hitter notices how she tracks ball & when she catches it
USE CATCHING EYES to HIT!
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Front Toss
10 to 15 Feet in Front of Hitter
“Hit the Back of the Ball to the Back of the Net”
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Cone Calls
“Ball” or “Strike” at Cone
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Crazy Balls
Place Ridges to Either Side
Balls Move Toward the Ridges
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Zip Disk Hitting
Hitting Disk & Zip Ball®
Hitter Tries to Hit Zip Ball® with Disk
12 inch
7 inch
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Pitch Watching
Stand in Live Pitching Practice
Watching – NOT Swinging
Learn to Identify Pitches:
Drops
Rises
Curveballs
Screwballs
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Lane Hitting*
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PITCH SELECTION
Making the Right Decision on Balls You Track
Involves:
Decision
Patience
Discipline
Requires:
ACTION! (Swing)
Created Through:
Repetition Hitting Tossed, Pitched Balls
Knowing Pitcher, Knowing Own Hitting Zone
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Enemies of Pitch Selection
1. Never Practice It
2. Pitching Machine
3. Pressure - Stress
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Help Make Bat Meet Ball
If Kinda Hitting Ball = Kinda Watching Ball
Hit Middle/Back/Front
Hit Inside Seam (closest
Let Ball Travel
to you)
R XX
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Pitch Selection Drills
Zip Disk Game
12 inch
7 inch
Pitch Calling – Catch
Pitch Calling – Bunt
Pitching Calling
Strike-Count Hitting
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Zip Disk Game
Batter has Hitting Disk – no
Bat
12 inch
7 inch
Tosser has Zip Ball®
Tosser 10-15 Feet in Front
Hitter Tries to Hit Zip Ball®
with Disk
+1 tosser for miss
+2 hitter for hit
First Player to 10 points
Wins
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Pitch Calling - Catch
Hitter “Takes Action” on Strike:
Catch – Strikes
Take - Balls
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Pitch Calling - Bunt
Hitter “Takes Action” on Strike:
Bunt – Strikes
Take - Balls
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Pitch Calling
Vs Pitcher – without Bat!
1st Time:
IN or OUT
2nd Time:
HIGH or LOW
3rd Time:
FAST or SLOW
4th Time: CALL THE PITCH
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Strike-Count Hitting*
0 Strikes:
Hit YOUR Pitch
Where is it?
1 Strike:
X
Hit Strike
2 Strikes:
Hit 1 Ball Off Plate
Designate the Strike Count:
Hitting Front Toss
Hitting Pitches
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GAME HITTING Involves
Timing
Tracking
Pitch Selection
PRESSURE
CONSEQUENCE-ACCOUNTABILITY
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PRESSURE Drills
BP Points
Left, Center, Right, Center, Left
Last Player Standing
Opposite Extra
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Batting Practice (BP) Points
Regular Batting Practice – or – 4 Part BP
Players in Pairs
Give Points for All Balls Hit:
+1 = Groundballs
+3 = Line Drive
-2 = Popup
- 4 = Strikeout Looking
Both Players Combine Scores for Team Score
Highest Team Score Wins that Days BP!
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Left-Center-Right-Center-Left
In Teams of 2 - 5 pitches each
+2 each correct hit, 20 max for team
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Last Player Standing
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Opposite Extra
Teams of 2, 5 pitches-tosses each, x through
2 EXTRA pitches for each ball hit Opposite Field
Pair with most total pitches wins!
R
L
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BP Hitting with a Purpose (Situational BP)
Each Swing Has Specific Purpose
Based on Game Situations
Creates/Demands Focus & Execution
5 Pitch Sequence:
1st Pitch - Up the Middle
2nd Pitch - Sac Bunt
3rd Pitch - Opposite Field
4th Pitch - Squeeze
5th Pitch - Hit & Run
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4 Part Batting Practice (BP)
4 Groups (Baserunning, Live, Swing Work,
Fielding)
10 minutes per station (40 Minutes Total)
FIELDING
BASERUNNING
BASERUNNING
LIVE
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4 Part BP
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GREAT Softball Educational Material
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