nervous in the box?!?

[burlap1980]

Need some help/ideas for my DD. We hit 300 plus balls a week plus lessons one day a week. Everything from soft toss front toss tee work etc. So I have been struggling to understand why my DD struggles so much in games with her a/b. Because when its me or her hitting coach she has confidence out the roof and will smash the ball, but come game time she pulls out or hits everything straight into the ground.

Last week and idk y but she opened up with her hitting instructor and told him she gets scared/nervous in the box( form getting hit with the ball, striking out, messing up).

So after lessons I asked her about it told her to be honest with me she said her biggest fear is getting hit in the ribs, elbow area.
We talked about the confidence issue to I told her whatever she did, hit the ball strike out etc. I was right behind her proud of her for doing trying her best basically telling her I was fine with whatever the outcome. I can help her with that part but not sure if or what I can do about the scared/nervous about being hit part.

She is 10 loves the game practices hard plays with passion wants to learn and get better. I want to help her so if you all have any suggestions for me I would love to hear them.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Is she playing rec league or travel? Batters are hit by pitches much more often in rec. My DD has been hit maybe one time in two years in travel ball. So the good news is that it becomes a non-issue with experience and with moving up in age and skill level.

Unfortunately, getting rid of that sort of fear is not something you can practice outside of a game, so my advice would be to express confidence in her that she'll figure it out. Trying to rush her in that process is a way of not showing confidence, so I wouldn't make much of an issue about it except to say that it's not unusual and that she'll be fine. Maybe approach it like, ''You're a good hitter now, and you're not even fully comfortable at the plate yet. You're going to be dominating in a few months.'' In other words, something that's encouraging. As opposed to shameful, like, ''The ball doesn't hurt,'' ''You're a baby,'' etc.

 

[burlap1980]

She plays travel

 

[Cowdogz]

I'm surprised the hitting coach wasn't more help. She shouldn't ever get hit in the ribs or elbows if you teach her the right way to get hit. Have her lower the bat, bring the elbows in, and turn her back to the pitcher. Practice it. Do front-toss with wiffle balls, or mix a few wiffle balls into the bucket. Every few tosses, plunk her with one.

 

[CoogansBluff]

She plays travel

If it's 10U, you can take some comfort in the fact that the rate of HBP goes down as the age and skill up. The issue of being a little scared of the ball (whether batter of fielder) is tough to fix quickly. Usually just takes some time. When my daughter was 7, she was afraid of the bat stinging her hands when she made contact. She'd crush wiffle ball was very timid w/ softballs. She struck out half the time on that fact alone. The next season, she was fine. Then at 8, she got hit in the face in warmups, broke her nose. Took a season to get over fear of the ball while fielding. Maybe longer. Fear of ball in fielding seems to last longer than in hitting. I still see girls at 14U than are skiddish when fielding grounders, but not so many at the plate. About the only thing I can tell you is that the long-term prognosis for your daughter is very good.

 

[James Smith]

You might want to get her something like the EvoShield Chest and Back Guard. My DD has not used it but other posters DDs do.

When DD was afraid of the ball and backing out of the box we got her bunting more the normal, that kept her in the box and got her going again. Her hand was fractured with a HBP, I would have been bailing too.

I do not know how much advice she gets when she is batting but try to keep it to a minimum, let her know she is on her own in there.

 

[gophert]

You might want to get her something like the EvoShield Chest and Back Guard.

This would be the VERY first thing I went out and purchased. My daughter wears the front and back EvoShield and I have even considered the elbow guard. She is not a big girl (10U) but absolutely has all the confidence in the world because she knows her ribs, chest and back are all protected. She also pitches so that was also a determining factor, but has gotten hit with a pitch into the ribs and never missed a beat. Actually laughed about it saying I bet that pitcher thinks she owns me now...Ha ha ha. She smiled at the pitcher all the way down the baseline.

 

[YOCOACH]

I would also strongly recommend the EvoShield elbow guard as well as the chest/back guard. DD wears the elbow guard and it saved her yesterday from a wild pitch that could have done serious injury as it hit her right on the joint. She said she barely felt it.

 

[burlap1980]

We have looked into the evoshield before. Just didnt know how bulky or cumbersome it might be. Can you see it under the jersey?
How does it do with heat? (I mean have your DD's complained that wearing it makes them too hot?)
Thanks

 

[RetiredCoach]

My daughter had this problem so bad in 10U that she would setup in her batting stance about three feet from the plate. Now in her second year of 12U she's up close and hitting the ball well. She, literally, laughed over the weekend when she got hit in the leg by the ball. Quite the difference.

To help your daughter, I would suggest that you don't put pressure on her. Don't make it a big deal. I believe that your daughter is going to have to "heal herself" and that will take time. Pitch to her with tennis balls or something that won't hurt if she gets hit. Remember that a skin and bones 10 year old getting hit by the ball hurts a lot more than a 13 year old with some muscle. This should work itself out over time.

Patience!