Softball Tips - Embracing the Differences

Guest post by Ken Krause, Life in the Fastpitch Lane blog

Saw this quote from Michael Crichton today and couldn't help but think about what we do at Discuss Fastpitch:

"Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because you're being had."

Change the word "scientists" to "softball experts" and you can see why I'm including it here.

Seeing differing opinions can get rough sometimes. It's tough for those seeking information to help themselves, their teams or their daughters to know who to believe when opinions and suggestions seem to oppose one another.

It can really be tough to read when those opinions are expressed with a fervor you would normally expect to be reserved for religion or politics rather than how to hit or pitch a ball. Yet it's those differences that help us all advance the level of our knowledge.

How do you know who's right? Here's the simple answer: no one is right, at least 100%. Different people have different things that have worked for them. Mostly, they are shades of the same color.

Video is a good way to compare what you've heard to what top players do. Interpretation of video is less reliable. In other words, see for yourself if the instruction is matching the action. But keep a coarse lens on.

The more you get into the nuances of how things are accomplished, the less reliable the information becomes. Not because someone is intentionally trying to mislead, but because the data simply isn't there to say with 100% certainty that this is the way it is down to the molecular level.

There are many places around the Internet where you can go to get a single world view. This isn't one of them. I think that's the strength of the Discuss Fastpitch Forum. Differing points of view, when handled respectfully, provide multiple data points that you can use to draw your own conclusions.

Ultimately, that's the point of it all. Learn all you can, but don't just take someone's word for it no matter how great their credentials might seem. Think for yourself and you'll find yourself on the path to success.

Anyway, that's the way I see it.