vid of my girl

Osric said:

This is my girl, Grace. This was my first time getting her on video, so she was a little nervous (she doesn't normally have such happy feet). She is 12 and we'd like some feedback on where to do some work.

Thanks

Grace batting 1 - YouTube

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Be happy to try and help you if you need a hitting coach. Otherwise the people named in this thread can help you.
I give lessons...North cincinnati area
Bouldersdad does he is up around north dayton I believe.
Howard knows people from all over the state of ohio and in just about every state in the US.
Sbfamily does lessons or knows people who do. He is north columbus I believe.
I also think he has someone out portsmouth way. Just ask or pm someone



Straightleg

straightleg said:

Be happy to try and help you if you need a hitting coach. Otherwise the people named in this thread can help you.
I give lessons...North cincinnati area
Bouldersdad does he is up around north dayton I believe.
Howard knows people from all over the state of ohio and in just about every state in the US.
Sbfamily does lessons or knows people who do. He is north columbus I believe.
I also think he has someone out portsmouth way. Just ask or pm someone



Straightleg

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Good group of hitting coaches in your area of Ohio. Nothing like the personnal touch. Instructions get confusing over the internet. The group also have proving success with their students and DD's. You would be in good hands.

I'm on the other side of the state (outside of Athens), so lessons from west of Columbus are pretty much out of the question. My group is getting the OU Girls Softball club sports to help us out this spring and some will be giving private lessons, but I have personal doubts about a 22 year old having the background and ability to teach....some do and some don't, and some (as I've already found out) were taught by dumb dads like me and are more than willing to pass on outdated information. $$$ is also a big issue down here (this is one of the poorest areas of the state), so whatever I and other 'free' coaches can pass on, the better.

Anyone see anything that we can start working on? I've already started her on loading up better and we are doing lower half drills (throwing, walk through, what I call the Karate Kid) I'm not really even looking at her upper body at this point.

She has always hit for good contact and some moderate power. I'm not looking to turn her into a power hitter, but she is at a point where I know she could be better, and I'm reading everything I can get my hands on to help her get there.

Osric said:

This is my girl, Grace. This was my first time getting her on video, so she was a little nervous (she doesn't normally have such happy feet). She is 12 and we'd like some feedback on where to do some work.

Thanks

Grace batting 1 - YouTube

Click to expand...

I would argue that her whole concept of the swing is wrong. That isn't her fault. It's likely a product of what she's been taught.

She looks like she's been taught to stay upright. As a result, she chops down on the ball and drops her hands.

She reminds me of a girl that I saw at the cages once whose dad told her to stand up straight and then got on her about dropping her hands.

I'd teach her how to tilt, and how a high-level swing works in general.

OK a few easy practical starting points I know you said you were not concentrating on upper half but try these simply things.

1. It is hard to tell but it seems like she has a death grip on the bat to start with, she should hold the bat comfortably and while door knocking knuckles are uncomfortably to start see if see can move just a little away from the flat table grip she has now just a little
2. Also she has the bat to low to start with, this causes her to bring the bat up then bring it down again, she should start with the bat up a little higher so that her hands make a comfortable upside down V
3. She also needs to stand a little taller, it is good to be bent a little but it looks like too much (could tell better with video from behind)

Again none of this has anything to do with sequence or swinging to it should be easy enough to get her in a good athletic stance to start with.

Now lower half:

1. Her only motion is forward so there is no load or coil with the rear hip, if someone can post the gif of the guy doing the one leg drill with the exaggerated front leg cock that would be awesome, when you see it remember it is just a drill but the point is to understand what the feeling is like. When your DD does this at the end of the clip she is falling forward, we want her to take the knee back then push forward with her back leg.
2. Cant tell but put a straight line parallel with the plate to make sure she is stepping straight back at the pitcher and not backwards
3. Finally we need to work on getting her front side stronger in most of the clips her front leg is bent at contact, on the first soccer ball hit she almost has it right if you stop at about the 10 sec spot you can see what I mean and she should maintain that through follow through

Overall tips...as others have said no soccer balls, if you have to use a tennis ball or something fine but no basketballs and soccer balls, also it looks like you have the tee too far in front of her, I personally don't like putting the ball much further than the front of their front foot but other might disagree.

Keep up the good work hopefully even though this is technical thread these are some practical things to help the technical along.

nanotech14 said:

Here are some other posters that I have a lot of respect for their help, boulders dad,redhot coach,rdbass ( he will find you several videos of drills) I think he has a super computer full of drills. Ken, Amy (she is are PC expert, but she has a good eye for hitting and also keeps us grounded on what matters the most, helping these young ladies) going deep just don't make him angry he will hulk out. perfect circle will make you scratch your head sometimes, but he finds ways to make you look at it different or he will build or invent something to help. Their are others, but that is my list. Oh Fiveframeswing, but he is on a little vacation right now.

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Wow thankz Nano... I'm honored to be mentioned in that group... I concur with all the rest^^^, and we all know there are many more, including yourself, that you didn't mention. I think its got alot to do with who has the time, to get into it... when the question/problem gets posted. I am always happy when I know that the OP is getting to hear from them^^^and or even the ones I don't agree with, start the journey to the answer that will work for them....espicillay when I'm busy, or just flat out don't know... I am always amazed that anyone can have a question, and get the answers, this fast...and so many people take time out, at a reputation risk and little reward to extend help to unknown others...

I post, not because I really have much expertize to offer, but because I have a un-re-payable debt, and hope to return something back, for ALL the stuff I am privileged to have learned on here. I can do it fearlessly, because I know all the above mentioned & more are watching, and if I get alittle to far out there, they will swoop in to keep the posters best interest in hand, and help challenge them to further learning.

We all know this is the best place to learn! From the basics to as advanced as you will ever need for two generations of Daughters... Can't wait to start again w/ GDD to capitalize on my mistakes. The best way to explain myself is that, once I become exposed to the advanced knowledge, I try to get hands on with a plan to demonstrate PHD level material to a 5th grader. The best part now is, when DD knows that I have been inspired, and am getting ready to implement something new, she asked...who posted it ?, and she wants to read it first herself before she proceeds. She acts as though she knows you guys & gals....She shares the same respect for you all that I do ! She also feels you all are looking out for her too!!! THX ^^^ & everyone who feels they are in this community!

Osric said:

This is my girl, Grace. This was my first time getting her on video, so she was a little nervous (she doesn't normally have such happy feet). She is 12 and we'd like some feedback on where to do some work.

Thanks

Grace batting 1 - YouTube

Click to expand...

Hand path device 2 2010 02 21 20 07 06 - YouTube
Made this with my DD a few years back....You could do something similar in front of a mirror.
Load, step out and separate....Hips fire next then the upper body.

Do some slow to show her this sequence.

First have her use her current swing looking in a mirror. Then compare it to the slow motion of what my daughter does.
This will give you a start on the sequence, then from reading this forum, many other posters have drills you could try.



SL

David Carter said:

3. She also needs to stand a little taller, it is good to be bent a little but it looks like too much (could tell better with video from behind)

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What do you think this will accomplish or prevent?

After taking another look it might not be as bad as I first thought...I think the bigger issue is consistency. Look at her second hit on the soccer ball she is way bent over while other time she is OK.

A couple things leaning over too much will hurt is:

Sight picture if you are too far over you have to come up out of your bent over position as the ball is coming, you should keep you head as still as possible

It can also mess with your sequence because at some point your have to work in coming from bent over to more upright the closer you get to swinging which can lead to a down to up motion, also as you do that your hand have a tendency to drift up with you.

Again she could really benefit from doing a drill where she just goes up to the batter box and getting in a good correct stance then backs out of the box and does it again...just starting from the beginning with the basics.

rdb...thanks for reposting one leg drill don't know how I missed that you had already put this up before