Swing alert system and method

A method of measuring a swing of a batter, the method comprising:

• providing an alert instructing the batter to swing a bat toward a target zone;
• initiating a timer when the alert is provided;
• detecting, via a sensor, when the bat enters the target zone;
• in response to detecting the bat entering the target zone, stopping the timer;
• and
• determining an overall swing time of an overall swing of the batter, the overall swing including a swing delay portion and a swing portion, wherein the overall swing time of the batter is equal to the time captured on the timer.

A method of training a batter, the method comprising:

• determining an overall swing time of the batter using one or more sensors including at least one of a camera, a light gate, an optical gate, a microphone, or an accelerometer, wherein determining the overall swing time of the batter includes—
• providing an alert instructing the batter to swing a bat toward a target zone, and
• detecting when the bat enters the target zone via the one or more sensors,
• wherein the overall swing time of the batter is equal to time elapsed between providing the alert and detecting the bat entering the target zone;
• receiving one or more pitch metrics associated with an upcoming pitching event that causes a ball to move along a flight path toward the target zone;
• based at least on the one or more pitch metrics and the overall swing time of the batter, determine a position of the ball along the flight path at which the batter must initiate a swing of the bat in order to hit the ball at the target zone;
• directing a pitching machine to perform the pitching event by pitching the ball having the one or more pitch metrics along the flight path toward the target zone;
• and
• when the pitched ball is at the determined position along the flight path, providing an alert to the batter instructing the batter to swing in order to hit the pitched ball at the target zone.