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this is a question about a baseball swing but I do not see a lot of difference in the fundamentals for a softball swing and a baseball swing. Here is the situation
there is a boy on my son's travel team. Struggling to hit the ball, has no confidence in his hitting. He is always saying that he sucks and can't hit the ball. some of this is for show to get sympathy from others. This player is a only child and dad is always on him. This boy also looks at his dad after every pitch and every throw and every pitch. Fear of making a mistake and wants to please his dad. His dad has been head coach for the past two years after i stepped down. The dad asked me my opinion on the team after a recent loss, I told him that he is to negative with the boys and hollars to much. I suggested any corrections of coaching should be done one on one as they come off the field. So much for the introduction.
this dad ask me to get the boys started with warm up and throwing because he was going to be late to the game. I did that. the boys hated it because there was organization and discipline. Usually they go out on their own stand and act like they are stretching and clown around. I also took them through a 4 step throwing sequel to help them get loose.
the hitting part
the son (let me see if i can make a go picture in your minds) is right handed. as the pitch approaches his first movement is to load his next movement is to open his hips way open. his bellybutton is pointing to left field. next his hands come through the zone with the barrel of the bat trailing behind. His hands are through the zone and the bat is trailing behind. As he is cocking (or opening his hips) he is also jumping at the ball.
Here is what i suggested to him after he loads I told him to take (throw) his hands to the ball. I told him him to get the bat going through the zone after he takes his hands to the ball. When I was growing up (I know things have changed some since then) I was taught that as your bat is through the zone you should almost have a staight line from your shoulder through your hands to the end of the bat. I also told him that this would take a long time to change. After the game, my two sons on the team informed me that the dad (head coach) told the son to forget everything I said and go back to his way of hitting. The only problem is that he is not hitting. He probably has a 1/2 strike out ratio (i am guessing on this)
What burns me is that the coach asked me to get them going and then tells his son not to listen.
I know there are many ideas out there on hitting. What my work for my son my not work for others. I always taught that the bellybutton will basically lead the way to where the ball is going. Meaning that if it is an outside pitch the the bellybutton is pointing to the opposite field, down the middle bb is pointing to center on contact and inside pointing to that field on the pitch. I use this when boys or girls open their hips to much on the swing.
I guess i would like suggestions on how to help this boy or if my ideas are way off.
Thanks
there is a boy on my son's travel team. Struggling to hit the ball, has no confidence in his hitting. He is always saying that he sucks and can't hit the ball. some of this is for show to get sympathy from others. This player is a only child and dad is always on him. This boy also looks at his dad after every pitch and every throw and every pitch. Fear of making a mistake and wants to please his dad. His dad has been head coach for the past two years after i stepped down. The dad asked me my opinion on the team after a recent loss, I told him that he is to negative with the boys and hollars to much. I suggested any corrections of coaching should be done one on one as they come off the field. So much for the introduction.
this dad ask me to get the boys started with warm up and throwing because he was going to be late to the game. I did that. the boys hated it because there was organization and discipline. Usually they go out on their own stand and act like they are stretching and clown around. I also took them through a 4 step throwing sequel to help them get loose.
the hitting part
the son (let me see if i can make a go picture in your minds) is right handed. as the pitch approaches his first movement is to load his next movement is to open his hips way open. his bellybutton is pointing to left field. next his hands come through the zone with the barrel of the bat trailing behind. His hands are through the zone and the bat is trailing behind. As he is cocking (or opening his hips) he is also jumping at the ball.
Here is what i suggested to him after he loads I told him to take (throw) his hands to the ball. I told him him to get the bat going through the zone after he takes his hands to the ball. When I was growing up (I know things have changed some since then) I was taught that as your bat is through the zone you should almost have a staight line from your shoulder through your hands to the end of the bat. I also told him that this would take a long time to change. After the game, my two sons on the team informed me that the dad (head coach) told the son to forget everything I said and go back to his way of hitting. The only problem is that he is not hitting. He probably has a 1/2 strike out ratio (i am guessing on this)
What burns me is that the coach asked me to get them going and then tells his son not to listen.
I know there are many ideas out there on hitting. What my work for my son my not work for others. I always taught that the bellybutton will basically lead the way to where the ball is going. Meaning that if it is an outside pitch the the bellybutton is pointing to the opposite field, down the middle bb is pointing to center on contact and inside pointing to that field on the pitch. I use this when boys or girls open their hips to much on the swing.
I guess i would like suggestions on how to help this boy or if my ideas are way off.
Thanks
