Should we use MLB hitters as examples?

[Greenmonsters]

Question - do you find showing girls video of themselves to be helpfull?

 

[Tewks]

Question - do you find showing girls video of themselves to be helpfull?

In my experience, mechanics are not the first thing they see at all. First look is body image related.

 

[ifubuildit]

That's a vastly difference experience from mine. Most of the girls I work with have no idea who the elite fastpitch players are, for the most part. They've heard of Jennie Finch, and Cat Osterman, because they've been on TV and in magazines a lot, but they don't know a single hitter. They don't watch the WCWS. So other than one being a girl and one being a boy, most don't know Crystal Bustos from Albert Pujols. Sad, but true.

Some do watch MLB occasionally with their fathers so they know Cubs players (which isn't exactly the model you want to follow).

Now thats funny. Being and Indians fan and watching two former Tribe pitchers START the first game of the world series I can relate.

 

[ifubuildit]

Very helpful. Video is one of the best methods to help a student see what they have done. Both right an wrong.

 

[WinThemAll]

If you want an eye opening experience. Video tape yourself!

 

[Wellphyt]

Question - do you find showing girls video of themselves to be helpfull?

Yes. Very helpful.

 

[Hitter]

Kind of sound like my golf instructor at one of my lessons. I'm still into the grip it and rip it baseball swing, so I figure I will never be a good golfer. Why I guess I don't like to talk about golf and a comparison to baseball/softballs swings . It has caused me a bunch of $$ in lessons.

This was an instructor working with boom crane operators...I thought it was interesting as related to a hitting instructor.

Thanks Howard

 

[Hitter]

Howard - As I am sure you know, there are certainly many learning styles, so you have to adjust your instruction to get it to "click" in different ways for different learners.


For the argument that girls have no interest in watching MLB players because they can't relate, do they feel the same way about male instructors? If Howard does a demo, how is that different? (Is it the bat? I've recently seen video of instructors swinging brooms and PVC piping to illustrate points.)

I am really struggling with any argument that MLB swings can't be of value to the softball community. I showed Bustos to my high school baseball guys the other day and they loved it. To me, the video is more about the feel than what is seen. If you can't feel what the player is doing, seeing it doesn't matter. (And feeling requires getting up and swinging the bat - especially if it is something new and different!!!)

Bob

If you were a male coach working with a girl and said stand taller in the box like Chipper Jones....would that be relevant to your female student?

Put in your mind she has no idea who Chipper may be however in her mind she is being told to stand taller in the box like the MLB player. Now did you , and I am not saying you in particular, so please do not take offense, may not know the difference in the female balance point and that is they can not stand up right and keep the core engaged? Now pick Manny and he hits more like a girl than most MLB players I have seen as he sits down a little lower. Many have said Bustos looks more like him when it comes to hitting.

Lets take the elbows next...when the back elbow slots, lowers, if the MLB player is more up right and the female is more bent at the waist as she needs to be so as to be balanced and this is a medical fact, then lets add in a 38 C breast size and the fact the female gains more mass in the chest than the male. Now lets use the MLB person as to elbow clearing the hip however it must stay close to the hip. How do you Mr. Male coach, again not picking on you, explain why he looks that way verses what I have to do coach to clear my hips. Do we explain they need to start their hands further away so they can clear the breast and hip. How does this effect the rear elbow slotting and how does the lead elbow start its upward movement staying connected? Remember I am a female, coach and I am tilted a little more over the plate at the hips than you and the person you are comparing me to in the MLB picture is a little more upright.

I agree we have to adjust to each player and all I am trying to point out is after working with Crystl for 9 years these are points she has related to me as an elite female hitter as she feels getting the girls to feel it as to what we are teaching is critical to their success. Over the years I have made major adjustments in how I teach the girls verses the boys however I teach the same mechanics and have figured out how to explain it so it works for both. The mere fact we are talking about it will allow us as males to possibly look at how and what we teach the girls and maybe it will help other coaches gain a different perspective that teach girls and boys.

Why do girls throw like girls after male coaches have worked with them? Would it help to show them pictures and video to show an MLB player or would it help to explain the glutes fire differently in the male verses the female? Would it help to explain they have wider hips and do not land on the ball of the foot and flex their knee when they step? I have coached enough girls and boys to understand the differences in what and how I teach. Try teaching using an interpreter that does not translate exactly what I said and put the voice inflection as I do when I normally explain it in English! Talk about challenging your teaching skills!

Use what ever you think gets your message across to your students however remember who your students are and adapt and over come the differences and you will be even more successful as a coach and teacher in my opinion.

Thanks Howard

 

[Ken Krause]

Nice post, Howard! I learned some things today and I've been coaching girls for 14 years. I'm not sure I absorbed it all so I'll be referring back I'm sure. But on first pass it makes a lot of sense.

 

[Ken Krause]

Question - do you find showing girls video of themselves to be helpfull?

Oh yeah! I've also found one of the greatest motivators to correct a problem is the threat of showing them a video. Greatest invention ever for a skills coach is the video on a cell phone.