Hitting a ball
Physical Education · Early Years · The School
Holding the bat
Hold the bat with both hands, near the bottom of the handle. Stand side-on to the ball, not facing it head-on. Standing side-on gives your swing more room to move through.
Watching all the way
Watch the ball the whole way. Watch right up to the moment the bat touches it. Looking away even a moment early is the most common reason a hit misses completely.
The middle of the bat
A ball hit right in the middle of the bat flies further and straighter. A ball hit near the edge wobbles. It does not travel far, even from the very same swing speed. Where you meet the ball matters as much as how fast you swing.
Place a ball on a stand at waist height. Stand side-on, bat held with both hands. Watch the ball, not the stand, not your own feet. Swing through steadily. Meet the ball at the middle of the bat. Try it five times. Notice which hits felt solid, with a clean sound, and which felt weak or wobbly. A solid hit usually means you met the ball in the middle. A weak one usually means you caught it nearer the edge, even if your swing felt just as fast.