Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Cook, Peter

Area of Concentration

Social Sciences with Rhetoric and Writing

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between visual pursuit and athletic performance in collegiate baseball and softball players. Twelve individuals from NAIA college teams participated in the study. Participants watched video of a pitch being thrown from the batter’s perspective while data on eye movements was collected with eye tracking hardware. These data were then compared with individual in-game performance as indexed by real game statistics. The results suggest a potential positive relationship between visual pursuit and performance. Players who began tracking the ball earlier, who followed it for a longer time, and whose eyes more closely followed the path of the ball demonstrated a higher on-base percentage. These findings highlight the potential of visual tracking to explain and inform sports performance. However, due to the small sample size, the study's findings are limited. Future research with a larger sample size and multiple stimuli is necessary to establish a more direct relationship between visual pursuit and athletic performance.

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