CASE STUDY: BatFast Perform

Batfast has developed the Perform proposition for players who aspire to play professionally and for existing professionals who wish to refine their technique and develop their skills.  Suitable for high-performance schools, academies, clubs, and professional teams, BatFast Perform is available as a cricket simulator, baseball simulator, or both.  

STAND OUT FEATURES

Personalization: The BatFast Perform system allows players to create their own profiles.  There are multiple opportunities throughout the user journey to add players, create queues as well as change between players.  Each player can input key details such as age, gender, handedness, and skill level enabling them to cultivate a very personalized experience. 

For instance, a left-handed player will get deliveries automatically calibrated for their use.  Similarly, a player who is under 12 will only have access to features that are specific to their age and ability.  

Players can also provide their email addresses if they wish to create an online profile.  These online profiles allow players to access data visualization and analyze historical data.  On their next visit (either on the same simulator or any other Perform simulator around the world), players can then carry on their customised training program. 

Variety of Game Modes: The BatFast Perform system comes with 4 game modes and each has been designed to help players and coaches gain those fine margins everybody is searching for. Each game mode offers something different for existing and current professionals looking to track and improve performance. 

Game Mode 1 is built on efficiency, allowing players to face a high number of deliveries with high levels of accuracy across different bowler/pitcher actions and styles. 

Game Mode 2 allows players to control the different parameters of a pitch/delivery,  challenging players with subtle variations in line, length, speed, and swing.

Finally, the BatFast Perform system also comes with 2 new game mode features – in-built drills and match situations for both cricket and baseball. Online profiles are used to compare data across each game mode – this allows players and coaches to track and evaluate individual performance. Whichever game mode you select, the simulator provides the intelligence levels of a player or coach to challenge even the very best. 

Realism: Realism is a key differentiator the simulator can bring to practice when compared to other methods of training. BatFast Perform systems come with;  HD video projection, stadium sounds, control of speed, line, and length for cricket, a horizontal or vertical movement for baseball plus different bowlers and pitchers to face. BatFast systems allow players to feel the ball off the bat, adding to the immersion and realism of the experience. Lastly, facing drills of varying difficulty and practicing match situations on the simulator are just two ways you can work on fine-tuning skills and gaining those finer margins when at the crease or plate.  

3 BENEFITS THAT COACHES FOUND

1. Coaches can optimize their feedback and spend their time more efficiently. BatFast Perform Systems are connected to the internet and controlled by any web-enabled device. This makes the system easy to use and allows for optimal observation. 
2. Coaches can objectively measure talent through simple software programs. Using the inbuilt drills, and skill levels and accurately controlling speed, swing, line, and length allows coaches to standardize experiences across player types and demographics. 
3. BatFast Perform Systems are a resource that offers a key point of differentiation against competitors. Coaches find that offering this alongside other more traditional methods of training is a USP and helps with both the acquisition and retention of players.  

3 BENEFITS THAT PLAYERS FOUND

1. Players can create their own sessions via game modes and focus their time on the areas that they want to work on. The ability to control the different characteristics of a pitch or cricket delivery means players can set their own parameters for what they want to train.   
2. Players can play independently, without the need of peers, coaches, or family. Automatic feeder systems and tablet play/pause functionality makes it simple and easy for players to train on their own and maximize their time.  
3. Players can track and monitor their performance via their own profiles. BatFast Perform Systems enables players to monitor their performance across different game modes and receive data insights that are informative and easily accessible. 

QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK

Feedback from elite players has been exceptionally positive. Across two pilot projects involving professional and academy male and female players, average feedback scores were as follows: 

TESTIMONIALS 

Nottinghamshire CCC Academy & Pathway Coach) – 

BatFast spent a week with us here at Notts CCC and during that time our Academy, EPP, and batting skills sets batters all had the opportunity to experience the resource. Feedback from the players on the whole was positive.

“It’s really good fun” and “It’s more realistic than a standard bowling machine” were just a couple of the comments as they faced the various types, styles and variations of the ‘bowling’ on offer.

The more inquisitive the batters quizzed the BatFast crew on the machine’s full capabilities and were surprised at its flexibility. This included the possibility to face ‘harder’ machine balls as the players felt the ones used during the week were soft and didn’t feel ‘right’ on contact.

From a coaching perspective, it provides training against a wide variety of bowling and can be set up to challenge the players within specific scenarios. The footage also appears to be in sync with the ball release which is vital for effective practice.

Perhaps the standout feature is that once programmed, it allows the coach to stand back and observe before making appropriate interventions rather than be actively involved in feeding machines or sidearming.

An effective tool that the players thoroughly enjoyed using.

Senior Regional Talent Manager – Sunrisers (Professional Women’s Team) 

The BatFast system presents batters with a more relevant and realistic alternative to traditional bowling machines. The screen allows batters to perceive the bowler’s approach and develop their timing according to the bowler’s movements which is the most pressing issue with a standard bowling machine where batters have limited cues to react to in order to time and develop their movements and techniques. 

The ability to use the system to create leaderboards and competition is also very useful and can add an extra dimension to practice, applying pressure to otherwise ‘safe’ and repetitive drills.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSTALLATION

Lighting: For optimal projection clarity, controlled light conditions are compulsory. Sites need to ensure that lights can be modularised (some turned on with some off) or add blackout panels (PVC or drapes) to the batting cage the simulator is housed inside. 

Lead times: BatFast lead times are a minimum of 12 weeks plus shipping and installation. All items are sourced in the UK.

International shipping: Customers are responsible for organizing the shipping of equipment. BatFast will provide the dimensions and ensure the order is ready for collection from our warehouse by an agreed date. Customers will need to leave for 1-4 weeks for shipping depending on location and whether you wish to sea or air freight.

Standardization: BatFast propositions have been carefully and consciously tested and standardized in terms of hardware, software, design, calibration, and configuration. We advise you to use our suggested configurations as these are optimum for each experience. Any deviation from standard propositions is possible but is likely to increase lead times and incur additional development costs.

Staff training and implementation: This is a key part of the installation process, you need to make sure all of your management and support staff attend training. Businesses that succeed the most are the ones that execute the best. Those who have the most receptive staff and the best attitude to equipment training will always see an improved execution.