Hitting and Hitters Discussion Batting words of wisdom please!

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My 8 year old DD just started playing kid pitch. She has taken batting lessons and has great mechanics. When in the cages she can hit like crazy when the pitch is between 35 and 45 mph. When up against a kid pitching, she won't even swing at the ball. I need some tips on how to get her swinging. Any help is appreciated!

 

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I'm thinking it has nothing to do with her mechanics, but has everything to do with what's between her ears - as in it's a mental thing. Maybe she has an older softball "friend" that she looks up to who could gently draw her out a little, and get her to talk about it? She's only 8, so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

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Try soft toss to build her up....... she knows a pitching machine is constant and gets too comfortable with swing pattern. Get a hit stick and move target around, have her throw a ball up and hit it herself....... build her up and give her high fives..... it will happen and she will rock!

 

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She's simply watching the pitcher do her thing and not thinking about hitting. give her some time and keep doing what you're doing. She'll come around. The space between the ears is the hardest 5-6 inches in the game.

 

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My daughter ran to 3rd base after she hit (when she was 8). I wouldn't worry, chalk it up to being an 8 year old.

or maybe she is laying off an change ups and waiting for a fastball down the middle.

 

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Yeah at only 8 I wouldn't worry much. Its probably a mental thing. Good luck, hope she rocks the next pitcher she faces!

 

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Try a game that I've used.

Using tennis balls (a bucket of 24) and a tennis racquet, pitch to her. (later on have her BFF or another player pitch) in gym or out on a field or a back yard (but outside is better) and just have her whale away. Hitting the ball as hard as she can as far as she can where ever the ball is pitched. Have her use two hands and swing the racquet like a bat. Hit all the balls and then pick them up and then do it again....

This is the hard part...... do not any under conditions criticize her or help her swing mechanics in anyway. Praise all the hard hit balls and all the swings, every time she takes a cut find something nice to say about the results, tease her a little or do a play by play.

My guess is that your dd is a perfectionist, is carrying a 4.0 and has her college all picked out. She doesn't do something unless she can do it perfectly. Stop the hitting lessons and the criticism and concentrate on just having fun with her. She has to learn to pull the trigger, but she is worried that she isn't going to do it right and is paralyzed. It is all mental. She just needs to break through this wall. A lot of fun swings with great success should do the trick.

Come on dad smile, have a little fun, she is only 8.

 

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Thanks everyone. She is just getting frustrated because she says they don't look like good pitches. I think if she connected just once she would feel so much better. I just hate to see her upset because she isn't getting it. I will try some of the ideas and see if we can get her swinging

 

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At 8...ice cream works for everything! No matter what the temperature is outside. Bundle up dad.

 

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Relax as she adjusts to live pitching. I believe you should explain pitch selection even at that young age. This would be how the strike zone will grow and shrink with the count. If you can front toss her and show her how big the strike zone actually is that also helps.

At this age the most important lesson is don't go down looking. Use lots of positive reinforcement even for striking out swinging. The rest will work itself out.

Mike

 

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I am personally going through the same thing with my 04 dd who is playing with her 9u team. She has ability through and through but live pitching at game time has not been good at all. I have talked with her coach, her hitting coach, and other coaches and have been reassured its the age and time and repetition will be the remedy. My dd kills it off a machine, her defense is great, her ability is not in question, but the excitement and nerves i believe when its game time leave her to struggle. I have been told and try to tell myself she is 7, shes only been playing kid pitch for two months and i just need to support her. Time and positive support seems to be the answer even though its hard to watch my dd struggle i believe it will work out. Stay positive and keep it fun!

 

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Right now she is looking for a great pitch.
She is thinking no, no, no ...yes/no. She needs to start thinking yes, yes, yes....yes/no. It will come with some time. Still try to make it fun. Good luck.

 

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Take the decision making out of her hands for a couple of games, have her swing at all pitches and after she has made contact a few time then have her start picking and choosing pitches. Had same thing with dd 5 years ago . After six games of fall ball this year she was still hitting over 700.