Hitting Program - Watching the Ball

Hitting is the key to offensive softball and without hitting all other offensive techniques are useless and the way to hitting is watching the ball. The areas through which the ball travels on its way from the pitcher to the plate has been broken down into 3 areas:

A. The Release Zone
The most important area in the release zone is the pitchers exact release of the ball. Many batters concentrate on the pitchers motion and this is incorrect. The motion is used to confuse and distract the batter. The batter must concentrate on the release point and not the motion. Once the batter knows the exact point in which the pitcher releases the ball, they must make the color YELLOW the most important thing in their mind. This helps in several ways:

1. It helps the hitter pick up the ball in the release zone

2. It clears the mind of thoughts not related to hitting

3. It occupies the hitters mind so that they aren't thinking about the situation

B. The Flight Zone
While the ball is in the flight zone, the batter must do two things:

1. Pick up the Spin of the ball
2. Turn the head as the ball approaches the hitting zone
If the head does not turn, the eyes are still focused on the release point and the ball is seen with only partial vision at the most critical point, the contact zone

C. The Contact Zone
Before the batter reaches the batter's box, they must decide where the contact zone is to be. They must know exactly where they want to make contact with the ball. By picking this zone ahead of time, they remove the question "When do I Swing" They swing in time to hit the ball when it reaches the contact zone. At this time all that remains is the follow through which we use to make certain that the eyes have followed the ball. In order to insure that the player follows the ball we want to see the chin in contact with the back shoulder and the eyes down when the swing occurs. The batter probably will not see the bat hit the ball, however in order for them to end up in this position, they must have had their eyes on the contact zone when the ball was hit.