Vision training for hitting

[Mr. Burns]

Has anyone done any vision training for their batters? The kind where you put a number or color on a tennis ball or something, pitch it and have them try to tell you what was on it? I believe that the US Olympic team was working with this at some point.
I've googled it and come up with different programs for sale, but would like to hear some other's experiences.

[3Bsnag]

Other than colored or numbered balls, I don't have any experience with it. However, I've heard several college coaches say that they use it to some extent, mostly in hitting games when they are trying to keep it fun for the girls. You can do all the coloring and numbers for free though, just like the striped ball to pick up or teach proper spin.

I printed this vision exercise from SPARQ about a year ago. DD ran across it in my softball folder and wants to try. Problem is, she can't see the little chart at all.

http://sparqtraining.com/features/2008/03/05/see-more-react-faster/

[sball14]

Other than colored or numbered balls, I don't have any experience with it. However, I've heard several college coaches say that they use it to some extent, mostly in hitting games when they are trying to keep it fun for the girls. You can do all the coloring and numbers for free though, just like the striped ball to pick up or teach proper spin.

I printed this vision exercise from SPARQ about a year ago. DD ran across it in my softball folder and wants to try. Problem is, she can't see the little chart at all.

http://sparqtraining.com/features/2008/03/05/see-more-react-faster/

wanted to see the chart, but it could not be found. do you know where i could view one?

[SlowTheGameDown]

I was made aware of this topic and wanted to introduce myself. Dr. Bill and I have been doing Vision Performance Training for over 35 years. I have worked With 4 international teams and numerous Collegiate Softball teams. I would like to answer your questions and let you know what we do.

There are 3 parts to consider when considering improving vision for your hitters.
1) Are the corrected properly ( many doctors correct for reading and driving not for high performance sports)
2) Do they have the visual skills to perform what you are doing. You can trick the mind to track colored balls but Hitting requires a recognition and reaction. there are physiological things you can do to improve their visual skills. We have various products and services that address this. Depth Perception is trainable ( we use our product called the 3d Depth perception trainer), Visual Reaction Skills can be increased ( http://www.SportsEyeSite.com you can demo a free trial) a third product we use is the VPX-T trainer ( Trains visual processingand recognition skills as well).
3) Do they understand how to use their eyes as a tool, Do they know how to pick the ball up early and Late. This is a trainin service that we provide in Southern California

Our website is http://www.SlowTheGameDown.com

You can also read a recently published articel in Coach magazine at http://www.slowthegamedown.com/CoachAd.html

The colored balls is an OK Drill. to make it better you want the girls to have a reaction to what the see. IE. Take a pitch when the ball is green, hit to opposite field on red. You want the girls to react to what they see not just track. Hope this help. Would love to answer any and all questions and help understand the visual aspect of the game.

As far as the Sparq. In the optometric world it is called the HArt chart. I iwll see if i can find another link.

Ryan Harrison

[3Bsnag]

I tried to scan the printed version into my computer and discovered a myriad of problems that won't let me re-install my printer software. If I get it working, I'll scan and attach.

In summary, it has two charts:

Chart 1: measures 1"x1", has 8 rows across, 8 rows down, probably a 8 or 9 font of all capital letters that you should hold "bent arms distance" from your eyes.

Chart 2: measures 5"x5", again 8 rows across and down, has maybe 36 or lower font numbers and capital letters, that should be hung about 20 ft away.

The exercise was to call out the letter on the small chart, corresponding letter/number on the big chart, and keep going back and forth for 5 minutes.

It said it would take only a week for improvement.

[NORCALGOLD]

This training is for your advance elite players in 18 gold or college where an increase of 2 to 5 percent means alot like a scholarship or the difference of batting .290 or .300 which might be the difference if you make the line up .Don't waste your DD time or your money on vision training on the younger kids under 16u and if your kid is not in the top 10 percentile of hitting in thier age group don't waste your time.This type of training only benifets the top tier players it will maybe increase your batting in very small percentiles its not for 90% of the DD playing in there local travelball club.Its not going to make an average hitter into some phenom.

[NORCALGOLD]

w

[Coach11]

Has anyone done any vision training for their batters? The kind where you put a number or color on a tennis ball or something, pitch it and have them try to tell you what was on it? I believe that the US Olympic team was working with this at some point.
I've googled it and come up with different programs for sale, but would like to hear some other's experiences.

I've done a bit.....never knew it had a name though.

I use it primarily with the younger players, 10U. I number balls from 1 thru 6 with perminent marker. Early in the season, I print the numbers rather large....maybe 2" x 2"....later in the season, my print is a good deal smaller....maybe 1" X 1".

I pitch batting practice using the numbered balls. With a coach near home plate working on medhanics. I start out just having them go through the motions in the batters box and call out the numbers on each ball as they cross the plate, setting and loading without swinging.

After they have identified all six balls correctly, I will pitch them again and this time they will call out the numbers as they swing. At this point, I'm not so concerned with whether or not they make contact, but rather that they properly identify each ball. The coach at home is advising them on technique after each swing.

By the third round, they are usually making much better contact while consistently identifying the ball correctly.

This routine would likely take too long for a typical batting practice session, so I typically use it in a clinic session, where I'm working at a station with only three or four girls.

I find it a good way to teach the younger players to watch the ball all the way to the bat, so that it becomes habit.

[3'sDad]

At a coaching clinic last year, I asked the instructor afor a tip on how to make sure the girls were keeping their eyes on the ball when swinging ( I had one girl who closed her eyes when she was swinging - and made ok contact)...they suggested putting numbers on the balls (whiffle or regular) and work with them during soft toss to call out the numbers printed on the ball as they were swinging at the pitches.....we used this drill in the Spring, Summer and during Fall ball....the girls loved it as they all wanted to call out the numbers and smash the ball - this is 12U...we'll use it again this year.