Balls-n-Strikes Columbia

Check out the link below to watch the video on the Pro Day at Balls n Strikes!

http://www.komu.com//columbia-kids-get-baseball-lesson-fr/

Great success for Pro Day at Ballsn Strikes of Columbia! A big THANK YOU to Brian McRae, Joe Crede and Blake Tekotte for spending time with us yesterday! We had a lot of young men, a lot of parents and a lot of fun listening to the players stories and demonstrating some drills!

Hitting Drill of the day! Is the pitching to slow? Having trouble being over-aggressive? Try the lolli pop drill! Have your partner sit/stand behind some type of screen...much like front toss. All they need to do is toss the ball nice and high...hopefully with enough aim to land the ball around the back of the plate.... This drill will not only help you stay back, but it will also test your extension. Let the ball get to you rather than going out to get it. In order to successfully accomplish this drill, pick the top half of the ball to aim for and make sure to drive the hands down towards it. Stay away from the upper-cut. Trust your hands and stay back! Good Luck Hitters!

FACEBOOK FRIENDS NEEDED! Once we hit 250 "Likes" the first 10 people to call and say "250" can get a one hour cage rental for $10 (regular price $25)!

HOLIDAY HOURS! We are extending our hours for the week of December 26-30! The hours for the week will be 10:00am-8:00pm.... From 10:00am-4:00pm rent a cage for $5 for a half hour per person or $10 for an hour per person. Bring your buddies and enjoy yourself during the Christmas Break!

Base-running tip of the day: When running through first base, touch the base in the very front (closest to you), keeping your head down and sprinting through the bag. The closer you hit the bag, the better chance of beating the throw. Every inch counts

High School Allstate Players! Congratulations to the local Softball players who have worked out and taken lessons at Balls n Strikes of Columbia and made the 2011 High School Girls Softball AllState teams. Lauren Fuller - RockBridge Cierra Hines - Brashear... Morgan Imhoff - Jamestown Bailey Couch - Know Co. Kimmie Roberts - Harrisburg Madi Norman - Tipton Raven Loughdridge - Belle Jennifer Mills - Centralia Bobbi Mathews - Harrisburg Good Job Ladies!

Hitting drill of the Day! What's up hitters?! Today's drill is called "one-knee drill"...This drill can be explored off the Tee, through front-toss, or, if the player so desires, through regular overhand Batting practice. For now we will describe off the tee. Take a knee/drop to a lunge position(rightys-right knee on the ground...leftys-left knee on the ground), facing the pitcher. Make sure this drill is NOT rushed...the player will load back by putting weight on their back leg (just like loading before the pitch is thrown)and throwing your hands down to and through the ball (aiming for the bottom half to acquire backspin). Make sure to extend well...letting the swing continue until it can reach no further. Keep your weight on the back thy and drive forward with an aggressive swing...Good luck hitters! Get some backspin!

Pitching Drill of the Day! Rock and Roll drill: Spread out into a long comfortable stride, keeping your drive foot on the rubber (lefties-left/righties-right)...pick a small target or have a partner hold a firm glove hand, presenting a spot to aim for... your plant foot needs to remain on the ground as you rock back on the drive foot...fire off your backside and follow through, exploding towards your target. Use those legs and Rock and Roll!!

Pitching Tip of the Day! Aim Small-Miss Small! Aim Big-Miss Big! Your choice! You aim at the catcher's knee cap and miss up towards his belly button, it's still a low strike. If you aim at the catcher and miss him, it will be a ball, if not worse. Aim Small-Miss Small! Good Luck Pitchers!

Hitting Drill of the Day! This is a drill that players can do on their own. The player will have a bat and a ball...throwing up and hitting a ball is fun, but have you ever switched hands that hold the bat and ball? The hand that tosses the ball, righties=right hand, and lefties=left hand...oppostie hand has the bat. Toss the ball to yourself and attempt to drive the bottom half of the ball straight into the ground...this will cause an excessive amount of backspin. This is ideal...Good luck players! Get some backspin!!!

Pitching Drill of the Day! UP, DOWN & OUT! Pitchers lift your leg into a balance position (using the opposite leg of your throwing arm) UP...next...bring your foot straight down towards the rubber, still keeping your balance... DOWN... stride your foot as if you were driving all of your weight towards the plate...OUT...UP, DOWN, OUT, with your foot and keep balanced... good pitchers have good balance and good balance equals success, therefore good pitchers have success... Good Luck!