Playing OF in Extremely Bright Sun

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Oct 21, 2016
189
28
DD is freshman and she just made Varsity. She is now fighting for a staring spot in RF, but the field they practice on has the sun directly in her eyes every practice. She describes it like no sun she has had to deal with in the OF. She says either the ball completely disappears into the sun and she loses it, or she will look into the sun while tracking the ball and lose it. She has a pair of cheapy sport sunglasses that got good reviews on Amazon she has used for a couple of years, but she says they don't help at all in this situation, plus they effect her depth perception in the extreme sun.

Anyone have any experience and tip/tricks on playing OF is this type of bright sun? Or suggestions on sunglasses?
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
It's tough, but you have to adjust your positioning to limit how often the ball is coming directly between you and the sun.

Sometimes, just shifting over a few feet can give you an angle to better see the ball.

There's also this (and it sounds funny/not helpful, but it can be): If you lose the ball in the sun, you didn't really lose it. You know where it is. It's right where the sun is. Obvious, I know, but keeping that in mind, you know you don't really have to "find" the ball. You have to find an angle to see the ball.
 

TMD

Feb 18, 2016
433
43
It's tough, but you have to adjust your positioning to limit how often the ball is coming directly between you and the sun.

Sometimes, just shifting over a few feet can give you an angle to better see the ball.

This, plus learning how to shield the worst of the sun with glove hand through the pitch and hit will give her the best chance of reading the ball right off the bat.

Like any other softball skill, this takes practice. Fly balls into the sun over and over again will make her more comfortable.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Ray Ban polarized lenses GREATLY reduce glare. That, and learning how to block the sun.

Some prefer to use the glove, but I like to use the throwing hand when the ball is in the air.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
Like any other softball skill, this takes practice. Fly balls into the sun over and over again will make her more comfortable.

Our home field is death on our CF/RF positions during the late afternoon, so I'll occasionally use the pitching machine to work on it because it's a regular issue for us. We just go in the parking lot behind the school, I set them up so they're looking into the sun, and then I shoot balls in the air and make them figure it out (I show them how, of course, but it's one of those things you mostly have to figure out on your own). There are a LOT of missed balls, bailing out, etc, but I think it helps them get more comfortable dealing with the sun.
 

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