15yo DD - Starting down the road...

[Eric F]

Once you nail down the new and improved swing mechanics, get her a better composite bat. The yellow Easton Synge is just ok (used to own one) but the higher end composites are worth the extra money.

As someone who regularly suffers from the terrible affliction known as GAS*, the thought of a new bat has already been rattling around in my head. However, this is pre-season, she still hasn't made up her mind 100% if she's going to focus on softball or cheer, and - as you mentioned - getting her mechanics improved are the priority at the moment.



* Gear Acquisition Syndrome - The un-ending desire for more/better/newer equipment.

 

[Eric F]

Due to the schedule of our time together, we haven't worked on hitting as much as I would have liked, but we've been putting more time in recently. Here's where we are currently...


We're still battling the arm bar, a dropping, looping hand path, and bat drag. She had also developed and all-back/all-forward weight shift movement where her hands were coming forward before toe touch. This swing was during a session focused on getting her hands and feet sequenced better. I had her spend some time doing HGs and self-toss with the focus on the feel of separation between her hands and stride.

Working on shortening her hand path, I had her spend a little bit of time doing this...

But we need to revisit it again with more focus and time to get the feeling programmed deeper. As of now, she can do the drill, but isn't applying it to her swing.

EDIT: Additional observation - Her hips are way late. It's an all upper body swing.

 

[Northtexasfury]

She has a nice foundation to start with.
My teaching would start with the mental thought of , the swing starts on every pitch. Get her loaded back to front and keep hands lower with less movement in them. Simplify the process

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

She has a nice foundation to start with.
My teaching would start with the mental thought of , the swing starts on every pitch. Get her loaded back to front and keep hands lower with less movement in them. Simplify the process

 

[Eric F]

She has a nice foundation to start with.
My teaching would start with the mental thought of , the swing starts on every pitch. Get her loaded back to front and keep hands lower with less movement in them. Simplify the process

I talk a lot with my DDs (and any hitter I'm working with) about mentality in the box, and getting the swing process started - and started early - on each pitch.

Less movement I agree with. Lower handset I do not. I want the barrel pivoting around the hands near the rear shoulder, moving out from the shoulder, and staying above the ball.

 

[Eric F]

What exactly are you point out, FFS?

 

[CLM265]

With an overly strong right hand it might be easier for her to end up with her back elbow ahead of her hands during her swing. Maybe a little bit of a chock grip on the bat also.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

With an overly strong right hand it might be easier for her to end up with her back elbow ahead of her hands during her swing. Maybe a little bit of a chock grip on the bat also.

Perhaps with an uneducated top hand, but certainly not for an educated top hand.

 

[Eric F]

Perhaps with an uneducated top hand, but certainly not for an educated top hand.

We are working on the "education"

What was your point of the pic?

I will take another look at her grip, this is different than she has used in the past, and may be a reaction to other things we've been focusing on.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Thank you Eric. Having the punching knuckles of the top hand facing the pitcher makes life difficult for someone struggling to turn the barrel. Getting a favorable hand set and grip can make life easier in that regard.