What you need to know about hitting

[Skarp]

Skarp, I was supposed to be paying $250 per month in lessons? No wonder my kids is so BAD!

You think your kid is bad. Why do you think I have mine in lessons? I'm thinking about moving Kobata into the guest house.

[southern12]

Wow Skarp....that was some information that surprises me to a certain point. Ironically I was primarily searching for elite coaches/managers that in turn have an elite fastpitch team. I am sorry to hear that it is going to be an uphill battle to win them over enough just so they will tryit!

My thoughts: The reason I wanted to network on a message board like this is because elite coaches and instructors could benefit the most with this product. I can sell the Fastpitch Bumblebee to anyone...but, if they do not have the knowledge of how to train with it (hence me offering free training support)...then the the hitter will not get the most out of the trainer.

Another point is that if parents/coaches are willing to throw $250 around for hitting instruction, why would they even blink an eye to grab a new training product that boasts great gains in hitting skills just because it is not carrying a 49.99 price tag? I see your point...maybe they think it is foolish to use anything outside of what these "expert trainers" are promoting.

I thought it would be cool to offer a product that you personally could use with your daughter or player. I know if I had a daughter, I would want something that "I" could be a part of. There is no athletic ability necessary to turn the trainer. A few minutes of practice and you could be giving your daughter quality swings without ever having to chase balls down after each round or learning how to pitch with a fastpitch motion. Parents could be simulating rising or tailing fastballs as well as controlling the speed and angles of pitches. Even at the level that I played baseball, I do not think I could be a good batting practice pitcher for softball players...with the Bumblebee, it is a strike every time.

I appreciate you guys responding to this thread and would like to have some contacts or ideas of who or where to get this thing off the ground. Do I need more videos, online demonstrations, or endorsements? If you have time I would sincerely appreciate any of your guys knowledge on the subject.

Just don't call it "A ball on a rope anymore!"

[Skarp]

The Bumblebee may be a "strike every time," but it's a strike thrown with a circular arc coming from somewhere over by 1st base. Not exactly perfect preparation, IM not so humble O.

Like I said, it may be a good product for kids of a certain level, because swinging a bat at a moving target has to be of some benefit, even if it's just hand-eye improvement. But if you think travel coaches/parents will bite, you're dreaming.

But feel free to argue the point all you want. That's what we live for here.

[southern12]

You got it skarp...Thanks for your input. *Yawwwn!* Not quite ready to give up just yet. In my dreams I have an entire intelligent message board's members at attention.

Fair enough about the circular path of the Bumblebee. One of the reasons it is so effective is that the hitter never takes her eye off the ball...they watch it go through the strike zone, back, and then around forcing the hitter to focus and concentrate intently on the moving ball. It is suggested that the hitter watches the ball go around a couple of times before each swing (Before you even say it...no, it will not wear the instructor out easily as I have already explained in earlier posts).

There are other advantages...I'll just hold off on them until I need to use 'em. This is cool to chat with posters that seem knowledgeable!

[goodeye]

I think you should be targeting cattle ropers that have daughters that play softball. This is a product they would understand and easily use.

[GSB]

I appreciate you guys responding to this thread and would like to have some contacts or ideas of who or where to get this thing off the ground. Do I need more videos, online demonstrations, or endorsements? If you have time I would sincerely appreciate any of your guys knowledge on the subject. Just don't call it "A ball on a rope anymore!"

Market it to the new 8Us (rec ball), I can see many of those coaches using this. Maybe you can sell them at Toy's R Us. I don't think you need any more videos and as far as endorsements, maybe you can get a cowboy. They are good with roping the bull.

[DonnieS]

and concentrate intently on the moving ball. It is suggested that the hitter watches the ball go around a couple of times before each swing (Before you even say it...no, it will not wear the instructor out easily as I have already explained in earlier posts).

There are other advantages...!

S12, you need to pay attention to what Skarp is saying. This isnt the market - we did the ball on a rope, a long time ago, and now, a ball off the end of the bat from my girls, could kill me. Cost a local coach his knee. Most of us, while we havent made it to state in Dixie ball, some of us have 'made it to state' in other venues, and some even further. My suggestion is to take your product, go to local rec tournaments, buy a booth, setup a demostration area, and I believe you will sell a lot of these - the goal for you shouldnt be convincing cynical nasty wise-ass 18u coaches to use your product, it aint going to happen. Your goal should be to move product. If I brought one of these to one of our practices, they would use it tie up the next male that drove by and beat him to death with it. And smile.

[txfpcoach]

Didn't someone invent something like this that attached to a pole and didn't even need a coach to stand there swinging it. Oh Yeh it's called a Hit-Away the same hit away i used just like your bumblebee to teach my league players back before DD moved to travel.. It's a ball on a rope plain and simple if you can provide one detail that makes it anything more I'd like to know. Atleast the hitaway is a ball on a cable and has some longevity

You need the Sham Wow guy to pimp these things at about 2am on PBS during paid programming thats your target audience.

I can see it now:


Southern12: We're here to promote our new fastpitch trainer the Bumblebee 2000

Sham Wow pimp: Well Southern12 what materials go into the construction of this remarkable training tool you call the bumblebee trainer.

Southern12: We start with Rope and add a Ball

Sham Wow pimp: Well there you have it rope and a ball I don't know it sells itself.

Sorry your target audience are league parents who think tee work ends at tee ball.

[txfpcoach]

and concentrate intently on the moving ball. It is suggested that the hitter watches the ball go around a couple of times before each swing (Before you even say it...no, it will not wear the instructor out easily as I have already explained in earlier posts).

There are other advantages...!

S12, you need to pay attention to what Skarp is saying. This isnt the market - we did the ball on a rope, a long time ago, and now, a ball off the end of the bat from my girls, could kill me. Cost a local coach his knee. Most of us, while we havent made it to state in Dixie ball, some of us have 'made it to state' in other venues, and some even further. My suggestion is to take your product, go to local rec tournaments, buy a booth, setup a demostration area, and I believe you will sell a lot of these - the goal for you shouldnt be convincing cynical nasty wise-ass 18u coaches to use your product, it aint going to happen. Your goal should be to move product. If I brought one of these to one of our practices, they would use it tie up the next male that drove by and beat him to death with it. And smile.

Excellent points and advice The allstar season is just around the corner and primed with 8U Dads looking for the next gimmick to get Sally a full ride to that D1 school. I will admittedly state that in our first year of softball I would have and did buy just about anything to try and help my DD in the end it all sits in a bag in the corner of the garage.

[Whizzer86]

Wow Skarp....that was some information that surprises me to a certain point. Ironically I was primarily searching for elite coaches/managers that in turn have an elite fastpitch team. I am sorry to hear that it is going to be an uphill battle to win them over enough just so they will tryit!

My thoughts: The reason I wanted to network on a message board like this is because elite coaches and instructors could benefit the most with this product. I can sell the Fastpitch Bumblebee to anyone...but, if they do not have the knowledge of how to train with it (hence me offering free training support)...then the the hitter will not get the most out of the trainer.

Another point is that if parents/coaches are willing to throw $250 around for hitting instruction, why would they even blink an eye to grab a new training product that boasts great gains in hitting skills just because it is not carrying a 49.99 price tag? I see your point...maybe they think it is foolish to use anything outside of what these "expert trainers" are promoting.

I thought it would be cool to offer a product that you personally could use with your daughter or player. I know if I had a daughter, I would want something that "I" could be a part of. There is no athletic ability necessary to turn the trainer. A few minutes of practice and you could be giving your daughter quality swings without ever having to chase balls down after each round or learning how to pitch with a fastpitch motion. Parents could be simulating rising or tailing fastballs as well as controlling the speed and angles of pitches. Even at the level that I played baseball, I do not think I could be a good batting practice pitcher for softball players...with the Bumblebee, it is a strike every time.

I appreciate you guys responding to this thread and would like to have some contacts or ideas of who or where to get this thing off the ground. Do I need more videos, online demonstrations, or endorsements? If you have time I would sincerely appreciate any of your guys knowledge on the subject.

Just don't call it "A ball on a rope anymore!"

Used to Rodeo so I would take exception to that, the only thing that might be harder to do in sports, other that roping, is hit a softball/baseball (played baseball also)

It would however make a great soap on a rope?

Don't blame you though, PT Barnum made a fortune.