VRHS_softball_journal_combined

2. Be aggressive at bat; “I’ll see the ball well, I’ll get my pitch to hit, and I’ll hit the ball hard.” 3. Control the bat with your eyes. 4. Use positive thoughts and positive self talk. 5. Self coaching; make adjustments. 6. Know YOUR optimal energy level and maintain it; relaxation vs. tension. 7. Concentration –the most powerful performance skill. 8. See the big picture – perspective. 9. Be responsible and accountable. 10. Use batting practice or it will use you! 11. Results, “stats,” cannot be controlled, trust in your preparation and talent. 12. Work at being confident: discipline and body language. “Risks make you rise, fear will make you fall.” 13. Be an athlete! Hitting: PlateApproach, swinging in the different counts Hitting isn't all about the mechanics. Yes, the mechanics are extremely important and will dictate our success in how well we make contact. Hitting can be a meticulous skill to develop. There are numerous methods and strategies, variations on teaching and an overload of available information. Regardless of the mechanics in a swing, one strategy remains constant through all of this and that is how to approach an at-bat. This is not limited to just being in the box, but the mental preparation happening before the game, during the game, in-the-hole and on-deck. An aspect equal to the importance of mechanics of a hitter, is the mental side. This mental side comes in many forms. As we all come to realize, and love about softball, the game's greatest hitters failed to reach safely in 7 of 10 at bats. Softball is a game of failure. As such, softball players require the unique ability to accept this failure each time to the ballpark and not let it affect them the next time up. Understanding this, hitters need to take advantage of every situation in which they come to the plate. This starts by possessing basic mechanics of a swing. The next phase of becoming a successful hitter is the mental approach. Far too often, especially at the amateur and younger ages, players step up to their approach not utilizing the information available to them from the hitter before them - watching counts, understanding the pitchers plan or strategy. This serves as asking yourself "what is the pitcher's out pitch?", "What are the similarities of the pitches seen with the batters before me?", "How is the pitcher setting up off-speed pitches?", and this list goes on. Good hitters have a thorough understanding of not just the mechanics but also an understanding of the different counts and the possible pitch types (off-speed, outside, inside, high, etc.) they will use in these different counts. Good hitters don't just study hitting literature, they study the pitcher on the mound that day. They look for tendencies and cues, these inevitability help them understand the probabilities of what pitch type they will see in what count. This is done through a variety of methods; from watching each pitch, identifying what pitches are thrown in what counts, soliciting information from hitters ahead, ● So what defines a good hitter? Are good hitters naturally good? Can they be produced or replicated? What are the common attributes of a good hitter?