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Question: My son
just turned 9 years old, and is facing live pitching from other kids in
little league for the first time this season. He has a beautiful swing - his
tee and hitting stick mechanics are excellent - but he misses the ball a lot
with live pitches. He seems to be either swinging late or simply swinging
above or below the plane of the ball's flight. I am concerned that he is not
seeing the ball, for some reason. Is there a way to check his ability to see
the ball during flight? Of note, he has regular pediatric eye exams and has
excellent visual acuity.
Answer: A hitter’s visual skills are different from one's visual
acuity readings from the doctor. Many hitters that have above average
eyesight still struggle with seeing and hitting a baseball or softball.
Checklist for your 9 year old; Make sure his head is turned fully toward the
pitcher so his nose is aligned to the pitchers throwing side. Watch to make
sure he is not bugging his eyes as the ball is released from the pitchers
hand, the eyes should remain soft and relaxed as the ball is thrown. Watch
to see that your son is tracking the ball with his eyes and not his head;
many young hitters will move their head in an attempt to get their head
closer to the hitting zone in hopes of seeing the ball better. Replace the
teaching term head down or watch the ball hit the bat with "eyes on the
ball". Remind your son to look more at where the ball is going (a few feet
in front of the pitchers arm) than staring at the pitcher’s body or over
fixated on the pitchers hand. Increase the number of swings he is taking
from live throwing so his timing skills are challenged during each swing.
Answers provided by
Frozen Ropes Baseball and Softball Training Centers Staff
Ray Lauenstein is the author of
College Bound: The Official Guide to Playing College Baseball and
The Making of a Student
Athlete. He also holds a Masters Degree in Sport Psychology and gives
seminars on Mental Skills Training and the Recruiting Process. If you
would like him to speak to your team, booster club or other group please
contact him via the online form or call
1-617-835-1836.
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