Having Trouble Hitting a Baseball - Try This Batting Drill

Great Way to Help Kids Having Trouble Hitting a Baseball

When batters are having trouble hitting a baseball it is frustrating for them, the coach, and their parents. However, it is important to keep kids from getting too frustrated because having trouble hitting a baseball is very common, as it may be the most difficult thing to do in sport.

Continual work on the correct fundamentals is necessary of course, but the following batting drill is a good start. This batting drill helps give players an understanding of timing the ball, often the problem, as well as helping their hand eye coordination. Additionally, this batting drill for kids, who are having trouble hitting a baseball, builds confidence, as making any contact is a confidence builder, even though the ball is on a batting tee.

Batting Drill for Kids Having Trouble Hitting a Baseball

The coach sets a ball on a batting tee, preferably on the outside corner of home plate and then flips or pitches balls to batters from the direction of the pitcher. With the first pitches, batters simply call out when the ball passes over the ball on the batting tee. This initial portion of the batting drill gets players watching the ball all the way to the contact area and gives them a sense of timing.

After these initial pitches, coaches do the same, but players then swing at the ball on the batting tee as the ball passes over the ball on the batting tee. Most players make contact with the ball on the tee or begin to make contact after a period. As implied, this method simulates real hitting and players feel good they can make contact. The goal is hard hit balls off the tee, with line drives the preferred result.

As players get proficient with hitting the ball off the tee, coaches remove the batting tee and proceed to pitch balls without the tee, and see if players make contact. Generally, players will as they have figured out the idea of watching and timing the ball all the way into the contact area. When players still are having trouble hitting a baseball, coaches revert to the batting drill before trying again.

This is a good batting drill to help kids learn to hit different pitch locations also. Coaches set the tee at any pitch location and players hit that pitch location when the ball passes over it. Adding a second batting tee with a ball on each tee and having players hit the ball off the tee that the pitched ball passes over, is an advanced use of this batting drill for players who are having trouble hitting a baseball.