Mental Struggles at the plate

default · Jan 21, 2010

My daughter has all the tools knowledge and skills as batter. She has been through the mill when it comes to travel ball. Every team was told she has a hitting instructor. They still would mess with her try to change her. Still she would do just great. When she gets struggles a little they point it out. Then it continues longer than it should. She always pulls out of it. I was just wondering if there is any good mental techniques to help keep from slumping or to able to pull out of it.

default · Jan 21, 2010

This is from Marc Dagenais from softballperformance.com who has studied the mental side of the game. Some where on his site there is a chart that will identify a player's flow state. There is allot more information on there as well.

Everybody agrees on how important
the mental game is in softball.

In order to perform at their best,
an athlete wants to be "in the zone"
(a state of mind where you are focused,
confident, under control, things feel
effortless, etc.).

That state of mind is also known as
being "in flow" or the "ideal
performance state". It allows to
deliver your best performances.

Developing mental routines is one
of the most powerful technique that
you can use to get "in the zone".

Here's a video that explain how
to develop a super mental routine
for hitting success:

http://tinyurl.com/mental-routines

This is powerful stuff.

Who loves ya? ;-)

Coach Marc

default · Jan 21, 2010

fastpitchtracker said:
My daughter has all the tools knowledge and skills as batter. She has been through the mill when it comes to travel ball. Every team was told she has a hitting instructor. They still would mess with her try to change her. Still she would do just great. When she gets struggles a little they point it out. Then it continues longer than it should. She always pulls out of it. I was just wondering if there is any good mental techniques to help keep from slumping or to able to pull out of it.

I don't mean any offense at all but in my coaching opinion, I hate when a parent puts their kid on my team and then tells me that they have a hitting coach so don't mess with their swing. If I am the coach, it should be my job to teach the players to bat. Most of my players have hitting coaches on the side, but I am free to adjust what needs adjusted and change whatever I feel is needed. Once I talk to the hitting instructors we are mostly on the same page and with a little adjustment, there is no confusion to the hitter. If I as a coach cannot help my player when she needs it because Mom or Dad doesn't want me to mess with their swing, then I would definately think twice about taking that player on my team. If you don't have the confidence in your coaches knowledge, then you shouldn't put your dd on their team. I also think it is a good thing when the coach points out mistakes the players make, as long as they praise the good they do as well. The girls have to know they are doing things wrong before they can correct it, practicing bad habits is the worst thing you can do.

default · Jan 21, 2010

Oh I m not offended by anything people put on here. I just like it when some one respond to something that thread is not about. There are coaches out there especially at schools that know ****. We have coaches at are school that no absolutely nothing. The assistant coach has never coached before.
If they teach at the school the get first crack at the position. ANYHOW!!!!

Thanks Yahtzee for the info. it is well appreciated.

default · Jan 21, 2010

fastpitchtracker said:
Oh I m not offended by anything people put on here. I just like it when some one respond to something that thread is not about. There are coaches out there especially at schools that know ****. We have coaches at are school that no absolutely nothing. The assistant coach has never coached before.
If they teach at the school the get first crack at the position. ANYHOW!!!!

Thanks Yahtzee for the info. it is well appreciated.

Your right, there are some cheese heads out there that try to pass themselves off as coaches, I gotcha.

default · Jan 21, 2010

A couple years ago I had a parent that screamed at their kid all the time when she was in the box, the kid was a wreck. I've seen some coaches do the same thing. It is a tough thing to learn, but they have to block it out. If their coach is riding them or giving bad advise, they have to know how to nod and shake it off. They can't ignore the coach, that shows disrespect. They have to acknowledge the coach, but do what they know is right.

default · Jan 21, 2010

I'm with Klump in regards to your travel team. With a school coach I would tell my DD to listen but ignore the coach and do as your instructor and travel coach say. Don't argue just say okay and go about doing it as you were taught.

default · Jan 21, 2010

Looks like we posted the same thought at the same time. Great minds

default · Jan 21, 2010

That is pretty scary!

default · Jan 21, 2010

mustohiofastpitch said:
I'm with Klump in regards to your travel team. With a school coach I would tell my DD to listen but ignore the coach and do as your instructor and travel coach say. Don't argue just say okay and go about doing it as you were taught.

agreed unless the school coach is better than the travel coach and/or instructor.

default · Jan 22, 2010

The greatest hitters fail 70 % of the time thats why they bat .300 . Peaks and valleys that is what hitting is all about. Also most people believe this is a pitching dominate sport. Its always been so funny to me to watch a coach or a parent (myself included) when a girl goes 0-4 and everyone wants to start talking mechanics. Then the reverse can happen a girl coulg go 4-4 have terrible mechanics and guess what the verdict is???? no coaching only praise. My DD has switched from a power hitting right hander to a left handed slapper/bunter. First few months i thought i would pull my hair out. But all of a sudden through hardwork and alot of practice the change is happening. Throughout this journey while working with her hitting coach, communication between our Coaches and my DD hitting instructor has enabled her to have positive reinforcement. You have to always respect your Coaches but as a parent you also just have to make sure everyone is on the same page.

default · Jan 26, 2010

Klump said:
A couple years ago I had a parent that screamed at their kid all the time when she was in the box, the kid was a wreck. I've seen some coaches do the same thing. It is a tough thing to learn, but they have to block it out. If their coach is riding them or giving bad advise, they have to know how to nod and shake it off. They can't ignore the coach, that shows disrespect. They have to acknowledge the coach, but do what they know is right.

I absolutely can't stand that. Anyone with a lick of sense about the game, be it a parent or a coach should know that once the game starts barking instructions while there in the batters box is rediculous. You're not gonna straighten much out during a game anyway. That's what batting practice is for, and you're definately not gonna do anything but get them thinking too much if you're trying to run a hitting clinic from the stands, 1st or 3rd.

default · Jan 26, 2010

Any travel coach worth his or her salt knows what a kid can do at the plate from tryouts and game situtations and wouldent mess with a hitters mechanics if she produces. If she dosent and it carries on past a few tournaments all bets are off. If I give a kid instruction to correct a flaw and the parent objects.... theres alot of teams out there and I wish them the best in their future.
Musty I made the same comment over on huddle once about ignoring the coach....... man youd have thought I sprayed a hornets nest with a garden hose, must be alot of High School coaches there.

default · Jan 26, 2010

Musty:

I know a player trapped between the hitting technique her TB coaches teach and a HS coach who wants her to hit differently AND who is telling her that TB and hitting clinics are a waste of time. At some point, if the hostility is that great, the player may actually have to put the travel ball approach aside until TB season. Otherwise she is just going to be miserable the entire HS season.

default · Jan 27, 2010

What Carol mentioned comes up in every Bustos clinic we have had. We teach them what the best female hitter in the world knows is successful and then some high school coach tells them it was a waste of time. You need to swing level and squish the bug. We tell each kid to be respectful of coaches, but show them like we have shown you why we taught you this technique. Each kid we demonstate . Like Howard says. We have them feel it, see it, measure it. If any coach worth his weight is shown the difference still objects, then as Carol stated you have to make a choice.

default · Jan 27, 2010

Klump said:
A couple years ago I had a parent that screamed at their kid all the time when she was in the box, the kid was a wreck. I've seen some coaches do the same thing. It is a tough thing to learn, but they have to block it out. If their coach is riding them or giving bad advise, they have to know how to nod and shake it off. They can't ignore the coach, that shows disrespect. They have to acknowledge the coach, but do what they know is right.

Absolutely agree Klump---witnessed this myself. Seen team with several girls who are pretty darn good power hitters who just get literally tied up at the plate by a coach who calls them out of the box after every swing to look at him, pay attention to him, listen to him. Just absolutely paralyzes them.

Wants to critique every detail while the girl is in the box during the game.

I don't know if this technique works for guys, but it sure as heck doesn't with girls. Can't think of any quicker way to undermine a hitter's confidence in herself.

default · Jan 27, 2010

kat:

yep, there is a big difference between having a few encouraging trigger phrases ("your zone, now") ("strong first move") and constantly throwing a barrage of technical stuff at a batter who is up. Does he really call them out of the box after nearly every swing? That's also a good way to tick Blue off, I would think.

default · Jan 27, 2010

cgs said:
kat:

yep, there is a big difference between having a few encouraging trigger phrases ("your zone, now") ("strong first move") and constantly throwing a barrage of technical stuff at a batter who is up. Does he really call them out of the box after nearly every swing? That's also a good way to tick Blue off, I would think.

He sure does---has them keep one foot in the box, but turn around to face him on 3rd where he will proceed to tell her everything she did wrong.

Don't get me wrong folks, nuthin' wrong with a supportive "next one's yours", "get yours good hitter", you know what I'm getting at. But to critique her swing/stance/foot work during the game is just wrong. I think then it has become about the coach's ego, not supporting the batter.

default · Jan 27, 2010

SBFAMILY said:
What Carol mentioned comes up in every Bustos clinic we have had. We teach them what the best female hitter in the world knows is successful and then some high school coach tells them it was a waste of time. You need to swing level and squish the bug. We tell each kid to be respectful of coaches, but show them like we have shown you why we taught you this technique. Each kid we demonstate . Like Howard says. We have them feel it, see it, measure it. If any coach worth his weight is shown the difference still objects, then as Carol stated you have to make a choice.

Any coach who refuses to learn from others who have proven techniques, shouldn't be coaches. We can all learn from each other, no matter how much we think we already know. It is a disservice to the players we coach if we do not try to learn the best, most effective methods, strategies, and techniques.

default · Jan 27, 2010

The last time my dd worked with bustos, I diddnt realy know what to expect as she thought she was in some sort of mental slump....... her mechanics looked good, bat speed was good, tracking the ball, but for some reason the mental side of hitting was thumping her. Maybe it was a new team, Playing in Gold showcases, having a name and having to produce?.......... who knows she was mentaly whipped..... Bustos watched her hit for about 10 minutes then looked at her and just replied.......... you just need to mature into your swing........ Thats it!!!!!!!!!!? no better words of wisdom from the great one?........... well we talked about it on the way home and low and behold it dawned on her. There is no magic form or , Mechanics, it takes years for a great hitter to emerge from what ever form she learns from. Maturing into her swing is like maturing into life,there will always be bumps along the way and obsticals you have to over come to become succesfull. Sorry for dragging this on, but that would be my one bit of advice to coaches and parents......... let em grow up and into the women and athletes they will eventualy become........ make the work enjoyable for them as well as productive, and their success will repay your patience 10 fold

Mental Struggles at the plate

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