TCB balls

[bmakj]

are they worthwhile? how do you use them.

I coach a 8-9-10 LL softball team, generally do not get a lot of assistance from parents, maybe one or two (DD of an AC coach from past three years is not playing softball this spring, doing soccer). Each year, it seems hitting is one of the biggest areas needing improvement. Trying to devise hitting drills/stations that require little to no adult support, girls in groups of two or three, switching off.

-I recently acquired at a GOB sale a SKLZ lightning bolt machine, I think the girls should be able to use this in pairs with minimal supervision (maybe one parent making certain no one is around girl actually swinging).

-gonna use a tee as well, have one girl setting balls, one hitting into screen or fence.

-again at a GOB sale, got 12 softball wiffle balls, hope to get one parent to do soft toss to girls using these (minimal chance of parent getting hurt since it is wiffle ball), if cannot get parent, will have girls soft toss these to each other in pairs, both with helmets on

-thought the TCB balls might be good for parent soft toss (assuming I can get a parent to give girls decent toss) how far do they typically go (remember, these are 8-10 yo, and best 10s get moved up to majors typically) when hit?

If I can have 4 hitting stations, I (or one of our pitchers as practice) can throw live BP to a group of two or three. this would have basically the entire team doing something across 5 stations (OK one half of each pair is technically not practicing, but they also need breaks from swinging, get a drink, etc.), not standing around waiting, or fielding BP (I would rather not have the team field BP, I have the batter who I just finished tossing to chase them down when done, give my arm and bum shoulder a break, i generally toss each girl one bucket, and as bonus any I can field (without moving) they get again).

If it seems TCB balls would be good investement, I will get a few (kinda pricey)

Also, bought a SKLZ reaction ball, but it is not as unpredictable as I thought it would be (bought it to try and improve reactions for my IF), anyone else use this? tips to get it to be unpredictable?

 

[reagansdaddy]

I love the TCB Balls and use them often with my own kids. The issue I have as a coach is that they really aren't conducive for use as an individual hitting station because kids should only hit 5 or 6 time with the ball when they first start to use them. That doesn't take enough time for its own station. Maybe you could pair them with something else?

 

[bmakj]

thanks! will keep that limitation in mind

my real question is do you think it would be safe for a parent (one who can give girls decent tosses) to do soft toss with the girls with these?

 

[Eric F]

thanks! will keep that limitation in mind

my real question is do you think it would be safe for a parent (one who can give girls decent tosses) to do soft toss with the girls with these?

If it's limited, yes. It's easy to over-do it with TCBs.

 

[reagansdaddy]

thanks! will keep that limitation in mind

my real question is do you think it would be safe for a parent (one who can give girls decent tosses) to do soft toss with the girls with these?

The most I've ever seen one fly is probably 25 feet or so and they are SLOW moving.

 

[djcarter1966]

I think TCB balls are great and safe for parents....safer than a wiffle ball, I have used smaller wiffle balls just for hand eye coordination mostly, but the problem is you have to be close otherwise they move too much and they sting if you get plunked by them.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I'm no longer a fan of TCB balls because they are heavy and encourage an unnatural swing. But that's just me.

 

[inde53546]

Whiffles and golf ball whiffles and light flight balls are better for practice at this age .. I dont care all that much for tcbs in the practice setting especially at this age. There good at tournaments in limited space. Use 12" balls if you want them to hit heavier balls

 

[Ken Krause]

are they worthwhile? how do you use them.

I coach a 8-9-10 LL softball team, generally do not get a lot of assistance from parents, maybe one or two (DD of an AC coach from past three years is not playing softball this spring, doing soccer). Each year, it seems hitting is one of the biggest areas needing improvement. Trying to devise hitting drills/stations that require little to no adult support, girls in groups of two or three, switching off.

-I recently acquired at a GOB sale a SKLZ lightning bolt machine, I think the girls should be able to use this in pairs with minimal supervision (maybe one parent making certain no one is around girl actually swinging).

-gonna use a tee as well, have one girl setting balls, one hitting into screen or fence.

-again at a GOB sale, got 12 softball wiffle balls, hope to get one parent to do soft toss to girls using these (minimal chance of parent getting hurt since it is wiffle ball), if cannot get parent, will have girls soft toss these to each other in pairs, both with helmets on

-thought the TCB balls might be good for parent soft toss (assuming I can get a parent to give girls decent toss) how far do they typically go (remember, these are 8-10 yo, and best 10s get moved up to majors typically) when hit?

If I can have 4 hitting stations, I (or one of our pitchers as practice) can throw live BP to a group of two or three. this would have basically the entire team doing something across 5 stations (OK one half of each pair is technically not practicing, but they also need breaks from swinging, get a drink, etc.), not standing around waiting, or fielding BP (I would rather not have the team field BP, I have the batter who I just finished tossing to chase them down when done, give my arm and bum shoulder a break, i generally toss each girl one bucket, and as bonus any I can field (without moving) they get again).

If it seems TCB balls would be good investement, I will get a few (kinda pricey)

Also, bought a SKLZ reaction ball, but it is not as unpredictable as I thought it would be (bought it to try and improve reactions for my IF), anyone else use this? tips to get it to be unpredictable?

Any tool is only as good as the craftsman using it. TCBs are good for encouraging precision in the swing (because a mis-hit is obvious) and hitting through the ball.

The bold above is more my concern. If hitting has traditionally been a problem, then little to no adult supervision on a station is not the way to go. All that does is encourage the girls to practice bad techniques that lead to bad swings. You want to have someone there to ensure they are doing the right things and building good habits.

One option is to enlist a few parents to monitor each station, giving them specific instructions as to what you want. Just make sure the parents you bring in won't decide to impose their own thoughts into the process.

Another is have half the team, or 1/3 of the team, work on hitting while the others work on other aspects with an assistant coach so you can monitor the hitting. You can use fewer stations that way and "float" between them. Then switch up the groups.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Make sure you get the baseball-sized TCBs, not the softball-sized ones. The big ones are too heavy, even for the "big" girls (i.e., HS and college )