Hitting and Hitters Discussion Getting DD to hit more consistently

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Her depth at the tee does not appear to be the main problem, but she seems to be too far away from the ball. Yahtzee is correct in that she drags the bat and her hands are too low. Her shoulder also opens up too soon, causing a barring (straightening) of the front arm and the lack of space between her lead elbow and her left ribcage. Your daughters swing also ends low, wrapping the bat around her below her front shoulder.

Your daughter attacks the ball with her hands. Once the batter loads, she should attack the ball with her front shoulder as she takes a forward step, followed by attacking the ball with the sweet spot of the barrel of the bat by starting her hip rotation and pulling the bat through the hitting zone with her left arm, simultaneously. The front elbow should be higher than the hands, and the hands should be higher than the barrel of the bat. The swing should finish high....her hands should end up somewhere around her left ear.

Hope this helps
Len

My thoughts exactly. She's very close with some good mechanics, but the front shoulder is pulling off the ball, causing her to drop the front elbow and almost rolling the hands too early.

 

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I agree also, there are some minor tweeks you can make that will have great results...many of the difficult things to correct do not exist so she is really close.

sent you a PM also

 

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Great info Guys! Does anybody have a video of what it is supposed to look like? That way I can see exactly what it is supposed to look like and teach her accordingly. Thank You all!

 

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DeDe,
Sent you a PM

 

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Here are some videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEly1Jz1Tbk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsoaE6B_To8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kgcIi_hJhs&feature=related

Len

 

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One thing I always thought was confusing is in reference to "separating the hands". This actually refers to the loading phase where the hands are moved back to the load position, or "separated" rearward. Watch the first video Lenski posted from about 1:05 to 1:09 - the slow motion part. You will notice as she strides to toe touch, the hands are actually moving back (loading).

So when you hear Candrea use the phrase "get separated", it refers to getting the hands back and loaded.

Also in this video, notice her arm and elbow angles JUST AT TOE TOUCH - right when her lead toe touches the ground. Young kids really struggle at this point, and if they do not get to this position, the rest generally falls apart.

Another key point is at about 1:10 (bat lag position) in the same slow motion part to 1:11 or so (contact). Notice the position of her right elbow - it is NOT ahead of her hands at any point. This is another huge flaw younger kids struggle to overcome.

I would suggest studying the concept of "staying connected" - which refers to keeping the arms rotating as the hips/torso rotates - the arms should neither lag behind nor get ahead of the body rotation. Everything must work together in unison. Coaches who instruct kids to "throw their hands to the ball" will destroy this "staying connected" concept, and also cheat them out of most of their power in their swing.

 

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Thank you guys so much. You are awesome! After we have worked on this for a while I will post another video to see if has made a difference!

 

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Cool Thanks! Sorry for my stupidity but what is the Face the fire drill? Also, when you are teaching do you teach the girls to take a small step with their front foot or no step at all? I don't know which is better.

Below is a clip of what people on this board call the "Face The Fire" drill. This particular video clip utilizes the reversed top hand grip.

When I was a teen, we also had a drill called the "Face The Fire" drill. It entailed hitting against a jugs machine (the old two tire version) turned all the way up from about 30 feet away. Now that's facing the fire! The drill was meant to speed up your brain and thus your reactions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chGj3hVD8Yg

Len

 

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One thing I always thought was confusing is in reference to "separating the hands". This actually refers to the loading phase where the hands are moved back to the load position, or "separated" rearward. Watch the first video Lenski posted from about 1:05 to 1:09 - the slow motion part. You will notice as she strides to toe touch, the hands are actually moving back (loading).

So when you hear Candrea use the phrase "get separated", it refers to getting the hands back and loaded.

Also in this video, notice her arm and elbow angles JUST AT TOE TOUCH - right when her lead toe touches the ground. Young kids really struggle at this point, and if they do not get to this position, the rest generally falls apart.

Another key point is at about 1:10 (bat lag position) in the same slow motion part to 1:11 or so (contact). Notice the position of her right elbow - it is NOT ahead of her hands at any point. This is another huge flaw younger kids struggle to overcome.

I would suggest studying the concept of "staying connected" - which refers to keeping the arms rotating as the hips/torso rotates - the arms should neither lag behind nor get ahead of the body rotation. Everything must work together in unison. Coaches who instruct kids to "throw their hands to the ball" will destroy this "staying connected" concept, and also cheat them out of most of their power in their swing.

Sammy makes some great points. The arm, elbows, and bat angle are very important. Notice how her hands are at the same level as her jaw and ear during and at the end of her load or negative move. Many kids have loads where their hands are below their back shoulder. This hitter's(Mac's) hands, arms, elbows, and bat angle are perfect in my opinion. Also notice that after toe touch as she starts to get to planting her front heel into the ground her hips have started to rotate and her arms are moving at the same rate. This is what Sammy is talking about when he talks about staying connected. At contact (around 1:11) notice that the lead elbow is higher than the hands, which are higher than the barrel of the bat. Her body weight is fully against the front leg and her rear foot is off the ground except for the tippy toe of her shoe. Her front leg is straight but not locked and the upper portion of her rear leg is perpendicular to the ground. Notice how quiet her head is during the swing. This is as about as good as it gets.

Len

 

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Sammy makes some great points. The arm, elbows, and bat angle are very important. Notice how her hands are at the same level as her jaw and ear during and at the end of her load or negative move. Many kids have loads where their hands are below their back shoulder. This hitter's(Mac's) hands, arms, elbows, and bat angle are perfect in my opinion. Also notice that after toe touch as she starts to get to planting her front heel into the ground her hips have started to rotate and her arms are moving at the same rate. This is what Sammy is talking about when he talks about staying connected. At contact (around 1:11) notice that the lead elbow is higher than the hands, which are higher than the barrel of the bat. Her body weight is fully against the front leg and her rear foot is off the ground except for the tippy toe of her shoe. Her front leg is straight but not locked and the upper portion of her rear leg is perpendicular to the ground. Notice how quiet her head is during the swing. This is as about as good as it gets.

Len

Mac has Huuuuuuggggeeeeeee separation of her hands at load which in my opinion is not stressed enough in hitters, granted the motion was slowed down and the movement was over emphasized. But you can see the coil in her core is multiplied by that separation. She has one of the most complete and beautiful swings Ive ever seen

Tim

 

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This is the type of swing it takes to play at the elite college level. Also, note the condition this gal is in. That stuff doesn't just "happen" - she has obviously worked her butt off and it shows.

One other thing to consider. Even though nearly every college coach is LOOKING for this swing, surprisingly few know how to teach it to kids. Knowing what a quality DI swing looks like is one thing... knowing how to successfully teach it (with proven techniques) is quite another. Reality is the kids on that college roster already had their sweet swing BEFORE they arrived at college.

 

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This is the type of swing it takes to play at the elite college level. Also, not the condition this gal is in. That stuff doesn't just "happen" - she has obviously worked her butt off and it shows.

One other thing to consider. Even though nearly every college coach is LOOKING for this swing, surprisingly few know how to teach it to kids. Knowing what a quality DI swing looks like is one thing... knowing how to successfully teach it (with proven techniques) is quite another. Reality is the kids on that college roster already had their sweet swing BEFORE they arrived at college.

s

As usual you are correct, I wonder how many good swings have been destroyed by tinkering college coaches just to put their name on a kid that was already a turn key player

 

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Tim and Sammy. Couldn't agree more on college coaches. Let's just say I have been to more college camps than I can keep track of and found few know who to teach hitting.

 

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While what you guys are saying has a ring of truth to it, a college program which has offered money to an athlete does have an option (and a right) to teach what they teach and to tweak whatever they want. As stated in another thread, choose the potential programs offering you money that fits the desired major wisely.

Len

 

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While what you guys are saying has a ring of truth to it, a college program which has offered money to an athlete does have an option (and a right) to teach what they teach and to tweak whatever they want. As stated in another thread, choose the potential programs offering you money that fits the desired major wisely.

Len

Of course they do Len, they pay the bill they ultimately have the final say, all I was saying is I wonder how many hitters they actually change for the sake of changing to call the swing their own.

They make their living at the sport so you would hope they knew what they were doing.

I agree to choose wisely 4 years is a long time to be miserable at any age

Tim

 

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Of course they do Len, they pay the bill they ultimately have the final say, all I was saying is I wonder how many hitters they actually change for the sake of changing to call the swing their own.

They make their living at the sport so you would hope they knew what they were doing.

I agree to choose wisely 4 years is a long time to be miserable at any age

Tim

Don't get me wrong.....I agree with your, SB's, and Sammy's statements. My post is an addition to the posts, nothing against the posts. The parents of athletes with the potential to get a scholarship also need to know and understand all parts of the entire process of playing college ball.

Len