Hitting and Hitters Discussion Remember a "SLUMP"

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Kid has been in a slump before, but just dealt with one that lasted for a tournament and a half, we analyzed the swing, we slept with the bat, we put in extra time on the tee and live pitching, we analyzed everything, tried singing a song while hitting, we even put a duck hand wash cloth on the bat over night. The funny thing about a slump that we forget as we get older, you have to wait it out and it will take care of itself! DD finally started to come out of the slump which made me realize I was overthinking her slump and all I needed to do was give her support and remind her she has to wait it out and trust her swing. The first thing that goes as we get older is our minds and memories! LOL is all I can do!!!

 

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know my DD has been in a slump for about two weekends now (Fall Ball). She is a great hitter too. I feel with her, she just thinks about it too much and should just trust her mechanics and go with it. I could imagine what is going through their minds at the plate (when they are in a slump), and that in turn probably just makes it worse. Once they get that hit again, they are back on track.

 

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You are so right rdelawder and Finch---hitting is all about confidence.

Try as we might, we can't give our girls confidence, all we can do is support them. Its something they have to recover for themselves.

They have to make that change in their mindset at the plate from "Can I hit it?" to "Where am I gonna hit it?".

 

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I've come to believe a slump is like the "yips" in golf--your mechanics may be perfect, so it must be something in the mental wiring. Kat has it right-positive reinforcement on what they are doing right, and for the love of GOD, don't rip them or let the other coach do it. I'll never understand the people who love to throw gas on a fire......

 

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I think the more you think about a slump the worse it gets. Sometime I think parents forget that 3 hits in 10 at bats is pretty good. If my DD doesn't hit .600 then she gets beat though

 

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You are so right rdelawder and Finch---hitting is all about confidence.

Try as we might, we can't give our girls confidence, all we can do is support them. Its something they have to recover for themselves.

They have to make that change in their mindset at the plate from "Can I hit it?" to "Where am I gonna hit it?".

Bingo Sue! Someone can have the worst swing in the world but if they know they are going to hit the ball, they will.

Len

 

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I think the more you think about a slump the worse it gets. Sometime I think parents forget that 3 hits in 10 at bats is pretty good. If my DD doesn't hit .600 then she gets beat though

I read one of Dusty Bakers books and he says there is no such thing as a slump, it is just an unfortunate period of time.

One of the fastest ways to get out of it and put it back together is the Barry Bonds drill and it will point out what is in her timing and rhythm that may be out of sync verses what is mechanical. You may be very surprised at how fast they will get it as they must adjust as they attempt to move forward after every swing and then they get it and figure it out them self.

This is why we tell our hitters to go up to the plate and think where is the defense going to give me the greatest opportunity to hit the ball and always think where am I going to hit it and not IF I am going to hit the ball.

All of our kids can hit blind folded off the tee HOWEVER if the head does not start in the same position as when they can actually see it they will not hit the ball. When they load their head must be positioned so they are looking through the net at an object and when they stride they give the head a head start and turn their head slightly away from the pitcher and when they hit the ball the head and eyes are on the tee and click it comes together. If not their head position is incorrect and they will not hit the ball. Why? Because it does not feel right and they have lost the feeling and hitting is knowing when it feels right and when it feels wrong.

 

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A quote by Ted Williams (BOSOX'S)
"Baseball (Softball) is the only field of endeavor where a man (DD) can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer." One of my favorite pictures hanging in my office.

 

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When my DD "slumps", she catches herself over thinking everything at the plate. We just tell her to clear her mind and see the ball all the way in. Seems to work pretty good. With all the work off of tees and in the cage, the mechanics are automatic if she just relaxes.