Optimal Reaction

Hops aren't only for beer...

We ended yesterday's post about split step timing with a question - why bother to hop? After all, can't a player just move toward the ball from the ready position?

Obviously, the answer to the second question is yes, a player can simply step out of the ready position to make a return. But, the answer to the first question comes from science and it says that optimal reaction is created by using a hop.

The split step and, therefore, the hop comes from tennis. But it isn't the only sport that uses it. The women's softball team at Auburn University has looked at the science and uses it extensively in their play. As explained in the below video called Auburn Softball: On the Hop, the hop takes the slack out the muscles and allows them to fire in a "more aggressive purposeful ballistic motion". Its essence is that reaction time is reduced - especially first step reaction time. 

The key to the hop is the timing. It must be hop, land, and go. Hopping and standing before moving is wasted motion and slows reaction time. It must be directional from the time the player lands to be effective. Therefore, the player must be at the top of their hop when the ball is hit as explained in the next video called Auburn Softball: How to Hop.