Best tactic for changing muscle memory?

[GatorGirl]

So our DD is 9 and is playing with older kids this season and it is very apparent that she has a lot of things to fix or tweak compared to the 11 and 12 year olds on the team. It wasn't so obvious when she was playing 8U last season. She was one of the strongest so nothing really stuck out too much.


For example: While she usually catches fly balls, it was never a two-handed catch. Her opposite hand always flew out to the side. So we have been doing 10 minutes in the morning and then 10 minutes in the afternoons in our foyer.(really tall ceiling) just to change her muscle memory. It seem to be working. We will see at practice today when they go into the "fly ball" group.

Just wondering how coaches change muscle memory on something like this. Thanks in advance!

-GG

 

[SBFAMILY]

Read the book " The Talent Code" it is easy to read and will help you understand what you call Muscle memory.

 

[CoogansBluff]

For example: While she usually catches fly balls, it was never a two-handed catch. Her opposite hand always flew out to the side.

Just repetition. That's a fairly minor fix because the desired change is not that mechanically challenging. It's not the same as fixing a bad throw or swing.

Regarding that issue (catching w/ two hands), note that it's better to catch w/ two hands sometimes, but not others. Two hands are better when you can get in position to receive the ball such that it is coming directly at you, whether a throw, fly or grounder. Two hands can provide balance and allow the player to get rid of the ball quicker.

However, if it is not possible or practical to get in front of the ball, or under it, it's OK and preferred that you reach out with one hand to catch it because a one-handed catch gives the player more range. Example: Ball is hit or thrown on a line two feet over the player's head. Player is better to go up with one hand, not two. Just as you don't attempt a two-handed layup in basketball. Another: Grounder or fly ball/line drive to backhand side, not enough time to get in front, must catch it on the move: Should not attempt to field that with two hands close together, IMO.

You may already know all this. Just felt the need to expound.

 

[GatorGirl]

I like the deep practice concept from that book. I just kept searching for the concept. So it seems to break down to this:



The whole slide show is pretty good. I am happy cause it reinforces what I have been trying to express. "If you focus on what we are doing, we can do this a lot less!" LOL

Deep practice

 

[chrispots]

Some not so high-tech solutions that have worked for me to get the girls to use 2 hands:

Throw pop flys with a kickball, vollyball, etc with their gloves on...they'll figure out they have to use 2 hands...

Don't have a that...try a football with their gloves on...we do this at the end of practice sometimes as a contest...its actually comical.

Buy a cheap left handed\opposite handed glove and play soft toss with her...you'd be surprised at how quick this changes her movement pattern

Buy a cheap small right handed glove (like 10-10.5") and play soft toss with her

Play catch bare-handed with a tennis ball\lite flight ball from 20-39 feet. She'll figure it out.

As mentioned, catching with 2 hands is a double edged sword. Teaching them to judge the ball early and correctly is ultimately the goal. i.e. catching the ball with 2 hands but pulling her off the base because she is dead-set on making a 2 hand catch is non-pragmatic.

 

[GatorGirl]

Chrispots, those examples are awesome! I love how creative many of you and how kind those of you who offer suggestions are. Thanks so much!

I agree, but at 9 she was just catching and then dropping because that second hand wasn't there to support the glove, help close the glove or keep the ball from falling out of the glove. So I feel she was judging pretty good, just not keeping the ball in the glove.

GG

 

[iMlearning]

2 Hands

When DD was younger we just used a flat training mitt and that solved the problem fast.

 

[coach james]

For pop flies with the younger groups, I like to fill up a ton of small water balloons (in summer of course) and we practice bare handed catching those balloons in a pop up scenario. If she has soft absorbent hands, she stays dry etc. Its a lot of laughs and the kids are using two soft hands, and gaining new habits without even knowing it.
We then typically progress to using mojo and tennis balls barehanded. Once they are getting comfortable, the progression moves into the foam soft hands mitt, with tennis balls (They're only $5, so I have about 8 of them)
And finally we move into real balls with the soft hands. This routine if done on a summer day over about two hours will typically do the trick for most of the kids.

 

[GatorGirl]

Whoa! I can't believe what they want for a couple of pieces of foam and a few pieces of elastic. That is about .25 cents worth of material that most people have laying around. I am totally making that!

 

[coach james]

Whoa! I can't believe what they want for a couple of pieces of foam and a few pieces of elastic. That is about .25 cents worth of material that most people have laying around. I am totally making that!

Softball.com has rawlings brand for $5.99 each