43 Feet. That is all that stands between the pitcher and the hitter. With the speed the ball travels at a short distance this does not give a hitter very much time to make a decision - to swing or not to swing.
With that in mind - in its simplest form we can break down successful hitting in softball as:
While Vizual Edge can’t address the technique or hitting mechanics (that's why we need coaches) we can help you evaluate and train the baseline engine required to make better decisions.
The Edge Trainer from Vizual Edge is a web-based vision training tool that enables the assessment and training of the visual processing components necessary to connect visual information to the brain. Activating that go/no-go decision.
Softball presents a demanding challenge to the hitter. As hitters advance levels, the distance of the mound doesn't change by much - which means increased pitching velocity and even less time to make a proper decision at the plate.
If a hitter can more quickly identify when the pitcher releases the ball out of the hand (Recognition)...if they can more quickly pick up the spin on the ball after it is released (Divergence)...if they can better track the ball as it breaks and crosses the plate (Convergence)...they might have a better chance of making better decisions in the batter’s box. Hitting is an exercise of pitch recognition and switching from divergence to convergence, which are all skills that we train in our program.
Numerous NCAA programs ranging from D3 to D1 added Vizual Edge training for their players as they each looked for an offensive edge heading into the 2022 campaign. SEC powerhouses like Florida and Mizzou were no different when seeking a competitive edge on offense, two teams who have aspirations of playing in Oklahoma City this Summer, and possibly winning it all! Like their baseball counterparts, many of these collegiate coaches know the importance of vision, yet few are implementing solutions to improve these trainable skills that can have a significant impact on their team's performance. The teams that have implemented our training this season are off to strong starts on offense, with four D1 programs starting with a combined 30-6 through their first 9 games, and an improvement of 91 combined more runs compared to last season during that same time.
Educating players and coaches about the importance of vision training is one of the main goals at Vizual Edge. Many teams are experiencing the Edge Trainer effect already into the 2022 campaign, and as the awareness of vision being a trainable skill grows, more and more programs have will have the opportunity to experience the affordable training program that Mizzou's Larrisa Anderson has called 'next level!'
