How Coaches Can Make the Most of Batting Practice

A. Precede batting practice with some batting tee and hitting drills. Coaches should vary the drills from time to time and gear the drills towards the needs of the hitters when possible. This will serve as good warm-up time and keep the players focused on improving. It is important that coaches supervise this drill work so hitters are concentrating and doing the drills correctly. B. Coaches can simulate game like speeds by moving closer or further from home when throwing batting practice. C. Changing speeds on pitches (for older players) as in games can really pay off as the season progresses. D. Coaches who notice a player’s weak spot can try to throw more balls in that area of the strike zone. For example: hitters who are having trouble with outside pitches, the coach should try to throw many pitches to the outer half so the hitter has a chance to improve on that pitch. E. Coaches should explain this philosophy of challenging hitters during batting practice to the team. Explaining to them that it is only practice and that you are only trying to help them is important. * F. Very important - Coaches should teach their players to treat batting practice as close to game like conditions as possible - meaning: not swinging at pitches that aren’t strikes and always trying to hit the ball where pitched (i.e. outside pitches to opposite field, etc.). This ensures players are working on their timing which is the key to hitting. G. As always, coaches should stay positive and encouraging during batting practice with terms like, “nice swing,” “way to watch the ball,” “great effort,” “good balance,” “you are so close to putting it all together,” “it’s only practice.” You get the idea, encouraging words to hitters whether they are hitting the ball well or not will go along way towards keeping the players optimistic and engaged.