Help with DD Swing (Tee)

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Feb 5, 2013
245
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I'm a little hesitant to post this on here, but I am curious enough to ask for some feedback.

I'll preface the video by saying that I know she didn't really get in a "ready" position to start ... but please give me your thoughts on what we should work on.

(I'll probably be showing her the post, so please be gentle!)

Thanks!

[video=youtube_share;pq5hpYzYsQU]http://youtu.be/pq5hpYzYsQU[/video]
 
May 22, 2012
745
16
Some of the veterans will jump in with more, but I can tell you I see a collapsing front leg. also the hands drop and she swings level. this is the same issue I am working through now with my DD.
 
Feb 5, 2013
245
16
Some of the veterans will jump in with more, but I can tell you I see a collapsing front leg. also the hands drop and she swings level. this is the same issue I am working through now with my DD.

Thanks stickpile. Mind if I has what drills/approach you are taking to fix it with your DD? How old is your daughter? FYI, my daughter is 11 but one of the smallest on the team.

Anyone else have any feedback? Appreciate it.
 
Last edited:
May 22, 2012
745
16
my older DD (I post here for both) is now 11. She is also the smallest. 4' 6" 70 LBS

You can read through our posts, lots of good info.

The front leg is a pretty easy fix, just point it out and she will catch on. The Natural motion of dropping the hands and swinging level has been a battle since we first discovered it about a year ago. This is very common with the 10 and 12U girls that I see in the local leagues.

We are now able to get the proper hand path off the TEE but still struggling in games and front toss.

We have tried everything. Double Tee (hands need to stay high to not hit the back one) high tee, Slow motion matrix drill to get the feel. She can do this but it doesn't translate well at full speed.

Some more recent drills that are yielding success are Freezing at certain parts of the swing and I check her hand path, then she can finish the swing. Mike epstein torque drill, things along those lines.

I am told this is very common and takes a lot of practice to overcome. We are trying to remain focused and patient. But the biggest thing is recognizing it during practice and correcting...over and over. This is why I video tape a lot of swings. I don't always see it live (especially if I am the one pitching to her), but the immediate play back is telling. Study the model swings and compare the handpath, you will learn to see it.
 
Oct 25, 2009
3,345
48
First thing is the tee is way too far out front. Bring it back towards the catcher until it's just inside her front foot after her stride. It's so far out front now that she is "reaching" for the ball, causing a disconnected swing.

The next thing I would do is get her to thrust the hip toward the ball (do not spin the hip, though). The feeling should be that of the butt muscles tightening as the most active part of the lower half as she thrusts.

She has a lot going for her right now. Don't lose that aggressiveness!
 
Feb 5, 2013
245
16
First thing is the tee is way too far out front.

Yes ... trying to do too much at once, I guess. All the girls on the team I coach want to hit the ball when it is over the plate. They all wait so long that they are constantly hitting the ball into the first base dugout (for righties). This was an attempt (perhaps a failed one) at having herhit the ball out in front of her.
 
Oct 25, 2009
3,345
48
Yes ... trying to do too much at once, I guess. All the girls on the team I coach want to hit the ball when it is over the plate. They all wait so long that they are constantly hitting the ball into the first base dugout (for righties). This was an attempt (perhaps a failed one) at having herhit the ball out in front of her.

Whoa!! Hitting the ball deep is a good thing. Right field hits are great; especially gappers. They're more likely to be too far out front facing live pitching.
 
Feb 5, 2013
245
16
Whoa!! Hitting the ball deep is a good thing. Right field hits are great; especially gappers. They're more likely to be too far out front facing live pitching.
Yes, for the bigger and more talented girls who can really drive the ball to the right side, I agree 100%. For most of my girls (this is rec), a hit to the right side of the infield is an out ... EVERY time. If the girl was letting the ball get deep in attempt to go the other way, have at it. If it's just that they are late in their decision to swing, we have an issue. But we're getting off topic and we can discuss/debate that elsewhere.

Thanks for the advice on the hip thrust and the feel of that. It's amazing how playing the game doesn't naturally translate to coaching it. And I agree about the aggressiveness. She swings hard for a peanut! (I added that for her benefit when she reads this ... haha)
 

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