Coach’s Corner

Innovative Training Aid Simplifies the Challenge of Learning and Teaching How to Hit a Baseball

Shuttle Baseball revolutionizes how the game of baseball is understood by players of all ages…on so many levels.  The obvious aerodynamic benefit of the tail is that it causes wind drag, making a Shuttle Baseball fly slower. What is not so obvious, however, is the fact that the tail’s arrow-like shape helps communicate invaluable visual feedback once hit. The trajectory of the tail lets the batter know if he/she hit the ball square. This makes working off a tee much more effective as the batter can make adjustments to their swing mechanics in just one swing. Players will learn to get the bat head moving parallel through the zone, increasing their chances of making square contact with a pitched ball. You can use the Shuttle Baseball to practice hits to the any field, helping the batter develop the muscle memory needed to spray the ball to anywhere in play. Most of all, this ball was specially-designed for indoor and outdoor use – allowing you to practice all year round…anywhere in any weather.

Check out some of our latest testimonials.

Drastically Improves Hitting Ability with Little Need for Verbal Intervention

(Recommended for ages 6-12)

Research has described the actual process of hitting a baseball as a complex series of mental steps including:

  1. Locating the ball at the earliest point it is released from the pitcher’s hand (eyes quickly focusing on the ball)
  2. Calculating the ball’s speed, spin, and trajectory (very rapid mental extrapolation)
  3. Deciding whether or not to commit to the swing (judging whether pitch will be a ball vs. strike)
  4. Projecting where the batter expects the intersection of bat and ball to occur (anticipating contact with his/her bat)

Obviously, a baseball coach would be ill-advised to communicate this level of detailed instruction, especially with a younger audience that likely won’t understand the above concepts or their proper sequence.  If a coach were to do so, his/her players will more than likely end up stuck in “paralysis by analysis” mode.   If you’re not familiar with the concept, it basically refers to a player who is so busy thinking about their actions that they are rendered incapable of making the right decisions at the right times.

Baseball requires a sequence of decisions to be made in a fraction of a second.  That’s why it’s so important to keep it simple (whether a player or coach).

The Science of Visual Mechanics and Kinetic Learning

It is well known that establishing good vision mechanics in baseball, at an early age, is priceless.  A batter’s eye-hand coordination is of paramount importance.  Better visual anticipation (reading and reacting to what the pitcher is showing you) affects hitting philosophy and bolsters their confidence.  Baseball, as anyone who has ever played or coached can tell you, is a very mental sport.  A confident mentality at the plate means being focused, fearless, and flexible – being relaxed and ready to react on impulse (i.e., quick hands).  This shift in a batter’s attitude is subtle, but significant.   The young batter must learn to trust themselves and their abilities.  They must approach the plate with poise, knowing they have the talent needed to quickly recognize whether the pitch is a ball versus strike and to then drop the hammer on any pitch delivered straight into their wheelhouse!

Shuttle Baseballs simplify the challenge of learning how to hit a baseball in a way that no other hitting aid has done in the past. They work by visually stimulating the brain’s neural network.  Use with a normal pitching arm movement (vs. underhand or “soft-toss”) and throw batting practice from the mound distance appropriate for the hitter’s age (e.g., 46ft for little league players).  From the point a Shuttle Baseball leaves the pitcher’s hand, the batter is able to see the tail of a this unique training baseball rise and fall during flight.  This visual feedback helps the young batter easily extrapolate the moving object’s trajectory, allowing him/her to more accurately predict the location where it will cross into the strike zone.  This makes hitting seem more natural as one need simply rely on their own primal instincts and react to the ball.  Shuttle Baseballs serve as an excellent introduction to the skill of batting – especially for novices. Batters will quickly recognize that these soft foam balls can’t hurt them, so they will feel very confident and less afraid while in the batter’s box. The fact that they are very easy to track means the majority of kids will have immediate success launching these training baseballs through the air.  Plus, they weigh 2.5oz, nearly half the weight of a regulation baseball – providing more mass/feedback to the hitter’s bat (compared to a virtually weightless. 0.75oz hollow plastic baseball).  As the young batter develops greater confidence and hitting proficiency at the plate, he/she can progress onto a heavier and/or harder baseball and take their skills to the next level!

30 Day, Risk-Free Trial Offer

We invite you to try Shuttle Baseballs for your next coaching endeavor.  We guarantee you’ll be amazed at the level of progress your kids realize, practically overnight.  After 30 days, if aren’t completely satisfied with this product, simply return them to us we’ll refund your money (less S/H) – no questions asked.

Using Shuttle Baseballs for batting practice as a training tool for any batter who seems to be having a tough time at time at the plate.  Doing so will melt their struggles away, allowing them to have a more immediate and satisfying learning experience.  Not only do kids have regular success hitting them, they’ll also have a lot more fun at practice.  And when kids are having fun when they learn, they are more attentive - and that oughta make any coach happy!