Anyone who has ever played the game understands the feeling of struggling at the plate. It is amazing how big the ball looks when you are hitting the ball well and how, it looks like an aspirin when you are struggling. Unfortunately, every player will get a chance to experience one of the those "temporary setbacks." You'll notice that I am very careful about using the word "slump." It just does not sound good, and as a coach I try never to use the word "slump." It is like any negative thought, the more you think about it, the worse it gets. I would like to suggest some ideas on how to return our minutes to a confident, productive approach to hitting.

Many players feel that when they are struggling at the plate, it has to be a mechanical problem. Most young hitters are very quick to hit the panic button. I personally feel it usually is a lack of physical and mental balance. Any good hitter would agree that there are some key elements in the physical mechanics of the swing that must be in place to achieve success at the plate. I also believe that the mental approach to hitting can also become a factor if our self-talk becomes negative and we lack confidence. The best solution in dealing with those temporary setbacks is to address both elements to assure balance and to have an understanding of the built-in barriers of the game.

Young hitters must remind themselves that hitting a round object with another round object is not always easy. The best hitters in the game today are successful three out of 10 times. This means that you are unsuccessful seven out of 10 times. I would hate to have our best brain surgeon as be considered good if they were successful only three out of 10 surgeries. The point I am trying to make is the sooner you realize the complexity of the skill, the better you can tolerate those seven unsuccessful at bats mentally. As a hitter, you have a choice of what you think about. I hope you would chose to think about the successful at bats!

There are no quick fixes in this game and you must remember that it is a game of averages. Having the awareness and proper mind-set can allow you to perform much more consistently and keep those temporary setbacks to the minimum. Learn to deal with this aspect of hitting because as long as you put on a uniform, you will have an opportunity to face this challenge!

The following are some guidelines and suggestions to help you deal with your next challenge:

Physical Factors

1. Mechanics
2. Timing
3. Visual

1. Stance

A. Comfortable and balance
B. Assure proper plate coverage

2. Stride

A. Short & Soft-allow weight to stay back and maintain balance and flexion
B. Keep front side closed

3. Swing

A. Minimize motion, maximize efficiency!
B. Be quick with your hands, not your upper body
C. Assure proper contact point out in front
D. Hit the ball where it is pitched!

4. Vision

A. Assure proper head position-"shoulder to shoulder"
B. See the ball out of the pitcher's hand, follow to the hitting zone
C. Track the ball with both your eyes and head
D. "Broad focus to fine focus"
E. Do not over swing! "See it-Track it . Smash it"

Mental Factors

1. Relaxation
2. Positive self-talk
3. Proper preparation to hit
4. Aggressive approach
5. Constructive evaluation

- Muscular tightness and poor breathing patterns result from feelings of fear, anxiety, and tension. Concentration is also affected which can result in visual problems. Softball is a game of relaxed skills! - The "I gotta/I'm gonna" self-talk can produce a state of tightened muscles and interferes with the message sent to the hitter's visual system.

• Preparation begins in the dugout:
• What type of pitches does she throw?
• Does she have a good off-speed pitch?
• What does she throw to get ahead?
• How did she pitch me in my last at bat?
• What is her out pitch
• Pitchers can sometimes become creatures of habit! - An aggressive approach can begin with not looking for a good pitch to hit. Instead anticipate that every pitch will be a good pitch. This approach will allow you to stay in a ready state, i.e., "is it a strike" vs. "yes, yes yes, no"! When evaluating your at bats, build success upon hitting the ball hard, seeing the ball well versus getting a base hit. If you become consistent at hitting the ball hard, you will get your share of hits!

Other Suggestions

1. Go back to the basics to get a good feeling 1.
• Batting tee
• Soft-toss variations

Most hitters have one or two drills that help them get the proper feel and rhythm of their swing.)

2. Correct poor timing

• Live batting practice
• Head on toss
• Bounce toss

3. See the ball (tracking)
• Make hitters hit to opposite field
• Off centered B.P.
• Track pitches against live pitching

4. Trust your swing!

Mike Candrea is the Head Coach of the University of Arizona Wildcats