Where do I start 9 yo DD

[gophert]

I just found this site the other day and since then I have been reading constantly. My daughter just finished her first fall season of 10U and what a transition it was. She is also a pitcher so to say the hitting got put to the back-burner is an understatement. Since she is already in pitching lessons, additional hitting lessons, financially, are just not an option for us right now. So, that leaves it to me. Annalise is a good athlete and very coachable, but really is a product of the "squash the bug" technique of hitting. I've got to change and would like to do it sooner than later. I have read on the forum that I probably need to start at the bottom and work up, but was hoping I could get a more detailed answer on exactly what to work on first. Thanks for your help in advance!

[video=youtube_share;fwYZQzz3SEg]http://youtu.be/fwYZQzz3SEg[/video]

 

[Perfect Circle]

First thing I did as a Dad with 10u DD, is to start from ground up too! But I would lock the the feet, until I knew she is seeing the ball good. Any movement pulls the eye off ball... I started with choosing to start with an even stance, then worked on bunting first.

 

[LeftiesDad]

Teach her to throw side arm. This often comes more naturally than swinging a bat at a ball. Much of that side arm throw can be transitioned into her swing. The use of the lower body is similar and the throwing arm action is very close to the top hand action when swinging a bat. My DD starts every hitting practice with side arm throws.

 

[rdbass]

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/5027-megan-1-tee.html
Read this thread first.

 

[rdbass]

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/5961-thoughts-daughters-swing.html
Also this one. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

 

[rdbass]

Also on top of this thread. Click on model swings. Go to post #501 and # 502. This is a 9yr old DD. This will help you visualize what your DD should hopefully look like.

 

[redhotcoach]

I will try to find a couple videos on here of the drills I would do, but I am on my iphone so bare with me, or someone else post.

Besides squishing the bug, she has pretty severe bat drag, her back elbow is way ahead of her hands and she is dragging the bat through the zone. The two symptoms tend to go together.

The two drills are the "upside down top hand swing" to help with the top end, and what I keep calling the Ichiro drill, if i find or someone could post the vid that ffs put up. Front foot comes back to back knee load, swing getting good weight shift to front side.

 

[gophert]

Thanks everyone! We are starting tomorrow with the swing overhaul. Wish me luck.

 

[gophert]

ok...worked on the coil-uncoil some last night. I would say that teaching coil-uncoil to a 9 yr old is much harder than it seems. However we tread on.

Here's my one question for now....should the stride be a set distance or should I just let annalise determine her own stride?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

ok...worked on the coil-uncoil some last night. I would say that teaching coil-uncoil to a 9 yr old is much harder than it seems. However we tread on.

Here's my one question for now....should the stride be a set distance or should I just let annalise determine her own stride?

The stride should not be dictated IMO.

Do you teach a 'stride' when you teach an overhand throw? Not likely.

It shouldn't be different in hitting either IMO. The stride should be a 'result' ... a 'result' of one's loading mechanics. If you teach the mechanics involved with loading, then what many refer to as a 'stride' will be in place ... without actually working on it directly.