Tips for Youth on Hitting a Softball

A softball is larger than a baseball, so it would seem that a softball is easier to hit than a baseball. However, hitting a softball is not easy. Learning the proper hitting techniques early can improve a child's chances of being a good softball player. Every young person can benefit from learning how to properly hit a softball.

  1. Practice Hitting from a Tee

    • Tees are used for children in baseball and softball when they are first learning how to play the game. Tees are also good tools for helping children of all ages learn the proper swing plane for hitting a softball. Practice hitting a softball from a tee at different heights to help children get used to high and low pitches. Tees help to reinforce the proper swing plane because if a child swings too low, the ball will fall off the tee and will not travel far. Another advantage of a tee is that it can be done in any open space without anyone else around.

    Get a Head In Your Hitting

    • No matter how strong a person is, if her head does not remain still when hitting a softball, it's less likely that contact will be made between bat and ball. Young players can get too excited when swinging at a softball and can move their entire body toward the pitch. One of the keys in getting the most out of a softball swing is to keep your head still. While the arms and body weight move forward, a batter's head should remain steady. Keeping your head still when hitting a softball will help to ensure that you see the pitch properly. It will also help a batter to follow through with the swing, delivering a more powerful stroke.

    Shift Your Weight Forward

    • Hitting a softball requires shifting a batter's weight from back to front. A batter that stands perfectly still while trying to hit a softball will not be able to generate much power. Practice taking a short step forward while hitting the softball to help shift the weight from a batter's back foot to the front. One problem that young softball hitters sometimes have is trying to lift their front foot too high and taking a big step. This can cause a batter to lunge at the ball and to have an improper weight shift. Young softball hitters should take smaller strides toward the ball so that their balance remains solid.