This thread isn't a question about which is the best bat. It is a question about trying to find which bat is best for DD.
At one of my weekly practices, where girls on the team get in hundreds of swings, I have each of them use a different bat for at least three rounds in the front toss station (a "round" is a full 6-gallon bucket of regulation softballs thrown with quick front toss). Girls are free to use any bat they like as long as it is the correct size. Since 10 of the 12 girls on the team use a 32" bat, it's rather easy to accomplish. They do this every week.
I do this for a couple of reasons: One, I want the girls to know that if something ever happens to her bat at a tournament (breakage, she forgot it, ump throws it out for a scratch, etc.), there is a bat on the bench that she has used, is comfortable with and, most importantly, knows she can hit with. Two, I want their parents (and the girls themselves) to see which bat is the absolute best for them so there is instant pressure on them to buy it. Both reasons are solely for the benefit of the team.
The bats we have available are the DeMarini CF5 in -10 and -11, DeMarini CF6 in -10 and -11, Easton FS1 in -10, Easton FS2 in -10, Easton Mako in -10, Easton Synergy Speed SRV4B in -10 and Louisville Slugger LXT in -10. The only bat I wish we had is a 2014 Xeno as I'm sure at least one or two girls would like it. However, I just can't get anyone to buy one due to the durability issues of past models.
A few observations ...
Almost every girl shows a rather distinct preference for one of these bats. It is evident not just to me, but to everyone watching.
Our best hitter is our best hitter, no matter what is in her hands. The only difference you see is whether the rockets she launches leave the bat with blindingly wicked speed or wickedly awesome speed.
Weaker hitters get noticeably stronger with the right bat. It is almost always a more flexible bat that "swings light."
Strong hitters show greater power with the right bat, one-piece bats in particular or stiff-handled multi-piece bats.
There is a distinct line between bat weight (mass) and bat speed. Weaker girls almost always do poorly with the heavier bats but do much better with lighter bats that enable them to have greater bat speed.
Confidence is huge. When a girl realizes which bat is right for her, it is all she wants to use. Their parents then hate me if it isn't the bat in her bag.
Peer pressure and family pressure is a great thing. All the girls tell the others how great she hits with bat x and DD tells mom and dad how great she hits with bat x then the parents come to practice and see DD smoking the ball with bat x then the parents relent and buy DD bat x.
All bats are "the best" when in the hands of a girl it is best suited to.
Another great thing about this exercise is that I know what bats work best for all the girls and can give positive recommendations to everyone. I also would know exactly which bats I'd buy if I ever needed to do a "team bat" type of thing where I needed to get a few bats for everyone to use. In this case, I could get by splendidly with just four bats: CF6 -11, CF6 -10, LXT -10, SRV4B -10.
This may be something you all might like to try or suggest to your coaches that they try. It has value for coaches (see my reasons, above) and value for parents as it can eliminate unnecessary purchases and you can get the bat your DD loves (and the bat that loves her back) in her hands from day one.
At one of my weekly practices, where girls on the team get in hundreds of swings, I have each of them use a different bat for at least three rounds in the front toss station (a "round" is a full 6-gallon bucket of regulation softballs thrown with quick front toss). Girls are free to use any bat they like as long as it is the correct size. Since 10 of the 12 girls on the team use a 32" bat, it's rather easy to accomplish. They do this every week.
I do this for a couple of reasons: One, I want the girls to know that if something ever happens to her bat at a tournament (breakage, she forgot it, ump throws it out for a scratch, etc.), there is a bat on the bench that she has used, is comfortable with and, most importantly, knows she can hit with. Two, I want their parents (and the girls themselves) to see which bat is the absolute best for them so there is instant pressure on them to buy it. Both reasons are solely for the benefit of the team.
The bats we have available are the DeMarini CF5 in -10 and -11, DeMarini CF6 in -10 and -11, Easton FS1 in -10, Easton FS2 in -10, Easton Mako in -10, Easton Synergy Speed SRV4B in -10 and Louisville Slugger LXT in -10. The only bat I wish we had is a 2014 Xeno as I'm sure at least one or two girls would like it. However, I just can't get anyone to buy one due to the durability issues of past models.
A few observations ...
Almost every girl shows a rather distinct preference for one of these bats. It is evident not just to me, but to everyone watching.
Our best hitter is our best hitter, no matter what is in her hands. The only difference you see is whether the rockets she launches leave the bat with blindingly wicked speed or wickedly awesome speed.
Weaker hitters get noticeably stronger with the right bat. It is almost always a more flexible bat that "swings light."
Strong hitters show greater power with the right bat, one-piece bats in particular or stiff-handled multi-piece bats.
There is a distinct line between bat weight (mass) and bat speed. Weaker girls almost always do poorly with the heavier bats but do much better with lighter bats that enable them to have greater bat speed.
Confidence is huge. When a girl realizes which bat is right for her, it is all she wants to use. Their parents then hate me if it isn't the bat in her bag.
Peer pressure and family pressure is a great thing. All the girls tell the others how great she hits with bat x and DD tells mom and dad how great she hits with bat x then the parents come to practice and see DD smoking the ball with bat x then the parents relent and buy DD bat x.
All bats are "the best" when in the hands of a girl it is best suited to.
Another great thing about this exercise is that I know what bats work best for all the girls and can give positive recommendations to everyone. I also would know exactly which bats I'd buy if I ever needed to do a "team bat" type of thing where I needed to get a few bats for everyone to use. In this case, I could get by splendidly with just four bats: CF6 -11, CF6 -10, LXT -10, SRV4B -10.
This may be something you all might like to try or suggest to your coaches that they try. It has value for coaches (see my reasons, above) and value for parents as it can eliminate unnecessary purchases and you can get the bat your DD loves (and the bat that loves her back) in her hands from day one.
