Students learn how to hit a baseball courtesy of the Rays

Around 40 middle school students at Academy Prep Center of Tampa received a unique lesson in science thanks to the Tampa Bay Rays. The subject of the lesson was simple: how to hit a baseball. 

"The lesson was really approached as finding the magic trick to hit a baseball," Tampa Bay Rays Coordinator for Vision Science Vishnu Sarpeshkar said.  "From a visual perspective, I broke it down to three pieces. The ability to read the pitcher's mind, to see small details and see in 3D. If we're able to pull off those three pieces of the magic trick, then it results in the biggest magic in baseball, hitting a home run."

To simplify, the three pieces are anticipation, contrast sensitivity and depth perception. Sarpeshka taught those lessons by playing games with the students. 

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"Having games played and making sure that when you can see them being applied, that's when they can actually digest what they're seeing and helps them understand a little bit better," he explained. 

The seventh graders learned how to anticipate pitches by watching real game footage. They also learned about finding the spin of the baseball and using depth perception to help prepare for a swing. 

"The best part was just learning new stuff and then trying out stuff for the first time," seventh grader Rykeith Cain said. 

The lesson is part of the Rays Science of Baseball program, which is in its third year. Rays staff members will visit various campuses weekly in June, providing lessons to more than 100 students. Other topics include baseball statistics, mental performance and conditioning, physiology and coding.

"Any time we get an opportunity to work with our kids and energize the community through the magic of Rays baseball, we will take that opportunity and make sure that we're providing the kids every opportunity they can to grow, not only as humans, but also give them an opportunity to learn new and exciting things that they can apply for the rest of their lives," Sarpeshkar said. 

Rays staffers will travel to Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg next week. 

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