E
EmilyJaz
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"Tell her to keep the ball from getting to the catcher" That's super cool idea.
Hitting in Practice vs Hitting a Game
- Thread starter Eugene Stryke
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This may sound weird but I believe at this age group a coach can develop two kinds of players. Hitters and Batters. Batters are at the
plate looking for balls and strikes trying to figure out which to swing at and which to let go. I have attempted to create hitters. I give them a strike zone bigger than any umpires. anything above the knees, below the hands, and close enough to touch their bats too is a ball we want to hit. Mental side of each at bat is to number one "move the runner". you have a successful at bat if you move the runner. if no one is on then the batter is the runner. We seldom talk any sort of swing correction while they are in the box. If they are focused on their swing how can they focus on the ball. We take notes of what to work on and that is for the next practice. Our girls will hear only a couple of things from the coach. If it was below knees or above the hands we will remind them that's not our pitch. If they swing at the right pitches in "our" strike zone they hear praise. If they are able to move the runner then first base coach will let them know they did their job. bottom line is take all the pressure of watching for balls and strikes away. Get them thinking about what their job at the plate is "move the runner". If you have that girl that still freezes and will not swing the bat I put them on a swing count. Tell them they get at least 3 swings each at bat and they only get 5 pitches to use them up. For what ever reason when they know they are going to swing they tend to focus on the ball and find a way to hit it. I do not believe that teaching balls and strikes at 10U helps anything. Teach them to hit and their "good eye" will come with experience. We tell our hitters that walking every time they are up just gets them dropped in the line up. Put the ball in play and let them screw it up trying to get you out. I hate playing those scrappy teams that just keep putting the ball in play and making us make the plays.
plate looking for balls and strikes trying to figure out which to swing at and which to let go. I have attempted to create hitters. I give them a strike zone bigger than any umpires. anything above the knees, below the hands, and close enough to touch their bats too is a ball we want to hit. Mental side of each at bat is to number one "move the runner". you have a successful at bat if you move the runner. if no one is on then the batter is the runner. We seldom talk any sort of swing correction while they are in the box. If they are focused on their swing how can they focus on the ball. We take notes of what to work on and that is for the next practice. Our girls will hear only a couple of things from the coach. If it was below knees or above the hands we will remind them that's not our pitch. If they swing at the right pitches in "our" strike zone they hear praise. If they are able to move the runner then first base coach will let them know they did their job. bottom line is take all the pressure of watching for balls and strikes away. Get them thinking about what their job at the plate is "move the runner". If you have that girl that still freezes and will not swing the bat I put them on a swing count. Tell them they get at least 3 swings each at bat and they only get 5 pitches to use them up. For what ever reason when they know they are going to swing they tend to focus on the ball and find a way to hit it. I do not believe that teaching balls and strikes at 10U helps anything. Teach them to hit and their "good eye" will come with experience. We tell our hitters that walking every time they are up just gets them dropped in the line up. Put the ball in play and let them screw it up trying to get you out. I hate playing those scrappy teams that just keep putting the ball in play and making us make the plays.
Probably a good philosophy for 10U, especially the part about limited instruction while they're batting. I think the job should be to hit the ball hard, though, not necessarily move the runner. I'd rather see a liner caught in CF than a weak grounder to 2B that happens to move the runner (if we're talking player development). My DD, now 15, continues to work on the idea of being more or less aggressive depending on the count and situation. I don't think that typically comes through experience alone. But probably not be a priority in 10U. They first need to learn how to hit the ball and have confidence doing it. Then start tweaking the pitch selection.
