The Competitive Edge

If there is a weak link in the visual system, it will become more evident under stress. Weak link?

We’re not going to know if there are weak links unless we test for them.

The visual system is dynamic. Stress and fatigue can impact acuity, depth perception, peripheral awareness, and accommodation. The best visual systems are made. Strengthen the visual system. Eliminate the weak links. Input affects output. Train the input.

The body will do what it’s designed to do if the intake of information is what it should be.

IN THE BOX
If the athlete has trouble diverging the eyes, the pitch will be more difficult to visually pick up as soon as it leaves the pitcher’s hand, and the detail, spin, and velocity of the ball will be harder to detect.

AT THE FREE THROW LINE
If the athlete has trouble diverging the eyes, the goal may appear closer than it actually is, depth perception will be affected, and the shot will often be short. These athletes often shoot better on the move - the vestibular system kicks in helping the visual system relax, allowing the eyes to drift outward.

QB POSITION
If the athlete has trouble diverging the eyes, the QB will have trouble coordinating peripheral awareness and central vision. Depth perception will also be affected if the athlete has trouble diverging his eyes. Successful QBs must have excellent peripheral awareness to move in the pocket. They must be able to effectively coordinate central vision with peripheral vision. QBs must also have great depth perception to understand where the receivers are in relation to one another.

‼️ The majority of the athletes I work with (high school and college level) have trouble diverging their eyes. Are they “locked in a hard focus” due to excessive small screen use? That’s for another post.

Train central vision, improve depth perception, and your peripheral vision/peripheral awareness will improve. You will not have great peripheral awareness if you cannot diverge your eyes!

The visual system is complex, but the answers are often simple.

The body will do what it’s designed to do if the intake of information is what it should be.

At The Competitive Edge, athletes work on getting into a fine focus. The eyes must work well together as a team and the athlete must be able to shift his focus quickly in order to get into that fine focus. We train central and peripheral vision. What’s most important in the batters box? Central vision. Fine focus. We utilize some of the very same training tools Dr Bill Harrison developed and used with MLB players.

I’ve always offered individual training sessions, but beginning in January, I will be offering small group training sessions as well as individual training sessions in a new location! (Right around the corner!)
More info to come!

The Different Types of Vision in Baseball Dr. Bill Harrison of SlowTheGameDown explains how to control your focus by understanding Soft vs Fine Focusing

I’m so proud of Walker Brown!!! He had THE TOP Vizual Edge score at the North Mississippi Preseason ID, held in Hernando, MS January 12!
Can you train to have excellent visual skills? You bet you can!! He has trained at The Competitive Edge to enhance his visual skills. He trained yesterday! He is still working on mastering a few skills but he is still quite advanced in his visual skills. He has put in the work!!!

An athlete's Edge Score is a comprehensive score out of 100 that takes all core-six visual skills into account. The Edge Score is calculated into one weighed overall score that provides athletes, parents, coaches and scouts with a benchmark number for assessing the athlete's overall visual ability.

Proud of Nash McCrary and Miller Shy!!! Both have trained at The Competitive Edge!

𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐕𝐢𝐳𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 👓

+ Listing the top Vizual Edge scores from our 2024 event schedule.

Check out the top-50 and more below. ⤵️

🖇️: https://loom.ly/J_GtpBY // Prep Baseball

Proud of you KJ Smith!!

Think you see the ball well?
You can always see it better.
Train to see it better!