Going rotational......advice on which instruction to purchase

[Perfect Circle]

I have been doing the same thing with my DD. She has some power, but was being taught more of a linear style with her upper body. Now that she's at a point where she can identify pitches and knows what to do with them we are adding rotation to her upper body with lower linear as described in previous posts. After watching the WCWS and seeing that almost every hitter (who wasn't a slapper) used a rotational upper body we decided to make the change. Getting a Zepp definitely helped, it gave some quantifiables to extra torque of upper body and showed DD immediate increased speed at contact without sacrificing hand speed. Rotational greatly improved her angles too. I found some excellent information on Hitting Performance Lab site. It's not really a formal program, but great information to build from and incorporate.

I was surprised at the push back I got from DD's hitting coach, team coach and others that rotational "show the numbers" hitting doesn't work in fastpitch and that "nobody hits like that". Obviously people who are just going by what they were told once upon a time and never really researched this even though its very evident watching college and pro players. We had to make a change in hitting coach as a result. Just to prove it, I went through each hitter in the WCWS championship game and took stills of their ready stance to load stance (all but one rotate upper body). I'd be happy to send you those images or post if you would like. Be prepared for push-back if you are going to try and implement team wide.

Love to have them... fastpitcher2@gmail.com

 

[Mike-Coach Q]

Depending on how you handle this, it could be a slippery slope. I coach a high school team and after leaving their hitting up to them for 2 years, I implemented a hitting program. Understand, you are going to get pushback and if you cannot give concrete reasons for doing this you will most likely have difficulty getting them to buy-in. The 1st question you will be asked "Why are you doing this?" Here were my reasons for doing it, maybe they can help you with your reasons.
1. Hit in a bigger zone, better plate coverage including hitting the outside pitch
2. Hit different speed slow-fast
3. Squaring up to the ball, a better quality hit
4. Minimize the flaws I identified; Dropping the hands, Flying shoulder, Casting the hands, flattening out the bat, bat drag.
5. Improved pitch recognition.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Depending on how you handle this, it could be a slippery slope. I coach a high school team and after leaving their hitting up to them for 2 years, I implemented a hitting program. Understand, you are going to get pushback and if you cannot give concrete reasons for doing this you will most likely have difficulty getting them to buy-in. The 1st question you will be asked "Why are you doing this?" Here were my reasons for doing it, maybe they can help you with your reasons.
1. Hit in a bigger zone, better plate coverage including hitting the outside pitch
2. Hit different speed slow-fast
3. Squaring up to the ball, a better quality hit
4. Minimize the flaws I identified; Dropping the hands, Flying shoulder, Casting the hands, flattening out the bat, bat drag.
5. Improved pitch recognition.

I'm curious how it went. If I were a HS coach, I'd have a hitting program. Yet as the parent of a sophomore who has her own hitting coach, and her own father who works with her hitting incessantly, a HS coach w/ a heavy handed hitting program would make me nervous.

What drills are you using? DD would have a dilemma if you were making significant mechanical changes to her swing. But if you were doing drills and teaching concepts that matched mine or her hitting coach, she'd be thrilled.

Mind you, as a parent, I don't think my opinion counts about anything except this particular matter - swing mechanics. I don't have a say in where DD plays, whether she makes the team, where she bats, whether she bunts or swings away or steals, or how you use practice time, basically nothing. I sit in the stands and keep my mouth shut unless I have something good to say. It's none of my business, until somebody says to DD, ''You need to change your grip to door-knocker knuckles,'' and then DD and I have a long sigh on the ride home.

 

[Mike-Coach Q]

I've been at this a long time and as a life long student of the game, my heavy handed, out of control ego, chest pounding, my way or the highway style got old and so did I. The principals I now coach by.
1. I want you best version of yourself, so its about us as a team working towards a common goal
2. It's your swing, if I suggest something it still your swing, so don't approach it as a victim at the mercy of a coach. I'm not making robots.
3. If you have a hitting coach, I won't mess with you but will share observations and video footage. I ask for drills and ideas from everyone. I share with parents my plans.
I'm happy with the progress but still more work to be done. The players that I am their hitting coach, still have to compete and perform against the others and the most productive get the playing time. More are asking for help little by little. A parent told me that the high school season is too short to teach hitting but I have them for 4 years if they stay in the program. I guess it's a matter of perspective. Good Luck

 

[CoogansBluff]

I've been at this a long time and as a life long student of the game, my heavy handed, out of control ego, chest pounding, my way or the highway style got old and so did I. The principals I now coach by.
1. I want you best version of yourself, so its about us as a team working towards a common goal
2. It's your swing, if I suggest something it still your swing, so don't approach it as a victim at the mercy of a coach. I'm not making robots.
3. If you have a hitting coach, I won't mess with you but will share observations and video footage. I ask for drills and ideas from everyone. I share with parents my plans.
I'm happy with the progress but still more work to be done. The players that I am their hitting coach, still have to compete and perform against the others and the most productive get the playing time. More are asking for help little by little. A parent told me that the high school season is too short to teach hitting but I have them for 4 years if they stay in the program. I guess it's a matter of perspective. Good Luck

Sounds like you're doing it right and have been around long enough to anticipate those landmines.

 

[Mike-Coach Q]

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. Fail learn and grow is what I teach my player , I guess I've also lived by it.

 

[Bartow12]

Work to kids strengths I use a combination of the linear and rotational kids all have different triggers, hand speeds, and ability. Use what works best for the individual.

 

[straightleg]

I think the right view pro softball instructional tape has some good stuff. I bought one years ago for $65.00 Very similar to what Howard and Bustos teach.



Straightleg