A common thing to do is to have the child hold the bat with their arm outstretched to see if they can manage the weight of the bat for x amount of seconds. While not necessarily a bad idea, it may not be the wisest way to go about it.
Arguably the most unbiased method of assessing a bat is to measure its exit speed off the bat when a tee is hit. The tee is required because it removes the element of bad pitches or tosses. Of course, measuring the exit velocity will involve the use of a tool such as a radar gun. Thankfully, there are solutions such as baseball radar guns sold at sporting goods store. Another benefit of using the exit velocity approach is it allows you to determine which team bat works best among the team players.
The optimum bat may be the one that has the highest average exit speed. Make sure the child tries plenty before making the final decision.
This update is by Danny Berry Baseball. Danny Berry provides an ideal setting for a youngster's initiation into the classic sport of baseball in an atmosphere designed to be fun and free of pressure. As a popular South Florida youth coach, Danny Berry strives to create a world of fun for boys, girls, and adults through a broad array of leagues, clinics, and baseball programs. For more information on Danny’s baseball summer clinic Miami, please call 305-281-0961.