how to find the right instruction

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May 6, 2015
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we are looking at finding extra instruction for our DD2 (10u, moving to 12u in the fall). currently, she is taking ad hoc (ie nothing regularly scheduled) lessons with her HC. However, not certain we want to continue this. changed her swing some in past few weeks, and now performance has dropped (I know sometimes things have to get worse to get better, but to me you do not do that kind of change in middle of season).

how do you know who to go to, everyone hypes themselves up, and also not necessarily about finding the "best" instructor, but finding the right instructor (ie as in right for your DD).

also would welcome suggestion on how to have conversation with coach about her taking hitting instruction from someone else (or do we talk to her about moving back to what she was doing and having moderate success, and just making less drastic changes, etc.)

Suggestions?
 
May 24, 2013
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113
So Cal
Moving back to what she was doing to be successful now is only worthwhile if that swing pattern is one that can be successful on the road ahead.
 

JLF

Sep 18, 2017
46
6
Talk to as many other parents as you can about instructors. When I coached I would ask other coaches who they recommended. Now, I seek out good players & their parents on the other teams after games.
 
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
thanks, will try that, but handicapped, few contacts outside of this team (and almost all who do extra instruction do so with HC). I guess that is my real issue, I do not know who to ask. the one guy I know from rec level who also coached travel is an ***. might ask parents of some players I had coached (coach pitch and 10u rec, which was mostly 8s and 9s) whose older siblings played TB (saw a couple recently when we went to watch DD of a freind of ours play her last home game for HS, their older daughters were on the team as well)

as for her swing, I do not think it was really all that bad, coach changed bat position to try and force her to load up more, that was about it, but it meant much less contact, and really no power improvement. has pretty much always made good contact, just needs more power. trying to tell her striking out say 2 out of four, but with 4 good base hits, is better than 4 not really strong ground balls that end up as GO or FC.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
as for her swing, I do not think it was really all that bad, coach changed bat position to try and force her to load up more, that was about it, but it meant much less contact, and really no power improvement. has pretty much always made good contact, just needs more power. trying to tell her striking out say 2 out of four, but with 4 good base hits, is better than 4 not really strong ground balls that end up as GO or FC.

What was the coach's description/demonstration of "load up more"? Very often, this is instructed to be an increased rearward weight shift and shoulder turn in order to (theoretically) increase the force when everything comes forward to the ball. The gigantic problem is that all-back/all-forward is not the pattern used in a good quality swing. Furthermore, it makes the swing longer, requiring the hitter to commit earlier, making it harder for the hitter to be successful. A bigger push is not the correct road to more power. Coaches instructing hitters this way have zero idea about a good swing.

Effective bat speed and quickness comes from a proper swing sequence that includes separation, stretch, and generation of resistance/tension to create whip.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
As you look for instructors, when you find one you are interested in, ask if you can watch them give a lesson to someone else. IMO, you should try to get a sense of their personality. Believe me, that is important. Does the instructor simply tell the player what to do or do they establish a conversation? You want the latter. Unfortunately, costs, number of players in a session, distance to lessons, ... all are also important. What do the facilities look like?

One thing that many don't really think about is whether the instruction your dd receives makes sense to you. You have to understand it in order to help your dd along the journey. Ask a lot of questions. As you might know, I give lessons. I give the first one for free to new clients. You might want to see if the instructor offers some type of package. I do not. I hope that this helps.
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
Very difficult to find great instruction. But one way is to find a team that can hit, really hit at a high level in the age group you are in facing good pitching. Ask that coach for a recommendation. I don't spend any money on lessons any more unless the coach has a track record of success and I can see the product of that track record.
 

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