Core Training

3 Easy Ways to Become a Better Hitter

The offensive side of softball is just as important as the defensive one. Teams must come together on the offensive side and manufacture and produce runs, in order to outscore their opponent to secure the win. Hitting is a special craft of its own. There will be good days and bad days on the offensive side, but at the end of the day, the players who step in the box with a gritty attitude and have productive at bats, will be the ones on the line-up card on game days.

The offensive side of softball has evolved over the years with advanced bat technologies, multiple products sold, new balls used, and pitching distance changes throughout the age groups. All of these changes were implemented to benefit the hitter. Every softball hitter will experience a slump or a time where their offensive game is stalled. Others will struggle with making adjustments in game vs. practice settings. Then there is the handful of hitters who want it so bad, put in the extra work, but are just unable to hit the ball past someone. It’s important for hitters to understand that failing seven out of ten times will give them a .300 batting average, which will put them in the hitting line up on almost every team.

Below are three easy ways to become a better hitter.

Use the Right Size Bat: It’s important for hitters to be swinging a bat that is the right size for them. Bats are expensive these days and most parents who invest in an expensive bat want to see it used for two to three years. Kids are growing and getting stronger every single day. There is a good chance they will outgrow their precious bat and will need to order a longer or heavier one closer to the one to two-year range. One way to stay up to date on bat choice is expecting to change bat sizes as the player moves up in each age group. Do some research, go to a store, swing the bat, talk to an expert, and make sure your hitter is swinging the bat she should be. There is nothing more frustrating for a hitter than not being able to reach the outside corner because the bat she is swinging is too short.

See a Hitting Instructor: If your hitter is struggling with her swing or is looking to bring her game to the next level, it is encouraged to get in and see an instructor. Hitting instructors are experts in the game of softball and their job is to point out the flaws and make the necessary corrections to the hitters swing. Hitting instructors will help hitters overcome the mental obstacles of hitting as well. They are easy to relate to and will provide the hitters with the mental and physical knowledge they will be able to practice and apply to their game.

Practice Practice Practice: This tip is a given, yet one that so many people lack. The best hitters in the game of softball practice on their own outside of team practice. Have you ever heard the saying, “when you’re not working hard someone else is?” That saying rings true to every single position on the softball field, especially when it comes to swinging the bat and producing on the offensive side of the game. Hitting practice is based solely on repetition. Hitters will take hundreds, thousands, and millions of swings off a tee throughout their career. It doesn’t do the hitter any good to just go through the motions and hit the ball off the tee. In practice, hitters should be diligent and focus on one area of their swing at a time. Vince Lombardi put it best, “the harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.”

 

Feature image by: Dina Kwit

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