Except on the East Coast, not many slow-pitch softball hitting camps exist for players who want to improve their skills at the plate. That begs the question, would men and women from all age groups, including seniors, utilize a teaching service that would improve offensive efficiency and make them a feared hitter in any batting order? At the Hitting Academy, our experience offers a resounding, “YES.”
After spending quality time at Softball Magazine’s senior and spring training camps, we made a well-researched decision in December to start a slo-pitch hitting Academy on the West Coast. Since it offers a classroom environment, improves technique and provides quality swings at the plate, it became the Steven Imlay Slow-pitch Softball Hitting Academy or SLiAcademy.
The Academy also will provide new technology so hitters can better understand batting swing physics and how to measure progress. The data applies to all aspects of today’s hitting game and will allow hitters to develop a pathway to improvement. This includes bat speed and exit speed with many other elements.
The SLiAcademy will provide:
*A one-day class with a systemic approach for understanding your swing and improving it while utilizing tools and drills to make you the best slo-pitch softball hitter you can be.
*Our academic approach will include:
- Analysis
- Assessment
- Prescribed Drills
- Tool Utilization
- Teaching
- Practicing
- Follow up with final analysis and assessment
To improve muscle memory, students will get a lot of swings – hitting off a tee, pitching machine, live pitching and game-situation hitting with a hitting pro overseeing individual and group instruction. It is recommended that each hitter attend with a partner to help systematically record progress so it can be reviewed. If hitters attend individually, the Academy will align you with a partner.
Also included will be:
- Instruction and drills on overall swing mechanics.
- How to effectively utilize a batting tee.
- Hitting instructor analysis of your swing.
- Video recording of your swing, drills and instruction from Hitting Pros.
- Data and analysis of bat speed (before and after hitting the ball), time to the ball, hand speed, swing path, and exit speed.
- Electronic portfolio of individual lessons, drills and practice learned at the Academy to reference at home.
- How to determine the correct bat and if an end load, balance or which size is best for you.
The group presentation will be based on Ken Van Bogaert’s (Bogie) Correct Swing Mechanics. These are concepts that Bogie presents in his YouTube production of the Swing Makeovers Series. I served on Bogie’s advisory staff for over 10 years and participated in some of the videos and concepts created by Bogie and his son, Brett. The Academy provides a suggested list of Bogie’s Swing Makeover Videos and drills for the attendees to review before attending the Academy.
Our individual analysis will provide adjustments for individual hitting styles. Pro hitting instructors will oversee groups and individuals and will monitor and analyze your individual workouts. Technical support and explanations of technical analysis will be made by pro instructors who know and understand softball and technology.
The Academy’s main goal is to improve your swing and consistency as a hitter. But, we also want you to have a better understanding of correct swing mechanics and how to conduct self-analysis to help you for the rest of your softball career by adjusting these concepts to your swing.
Reasons to attend:
- People just getting back into softball
- Anyone who wants to improve their game
- Women for all the same reasons as men
- All ages of Senior Softball to improved your game
Recreational to Major Plus
- As we age we need to improve our techniques to maintain our level of play.
- A desire to improve certain aspects of your game
- Learning how to deal with hitting inconsistency
- Learning how to transform batting practice hitting to live game hitting
Enjoy a fun-filled learning experience combined with hard work and go home with a new knowledge of your swing and enjoy an improved softball swing and becoming a feared hitter.
For more information, visit www.SLiAcademy.com
Steve Imlay has participated in slow-pitch softball on a national level for over 40 years. He has been inducted as a member of the ASA Indiana Hall of Fame, Senior Softball Hall of Fame and the prestigious The Florida Senior Softball Legends Hall of Fame. He has served as a pro hitting instructor for Softball Magazine’s Senior camp and Spring Training camps. He is a nationally-rated Major Plus player and currently is a member of a 60 & 65 Major Plus team. He has signed on as a member of Adidas’ Pro Hitter Staff. He lives in Phoenix, AZ with his wife, Carroll Imlay. Contact: SliAcademy@outlook.com.