14U DD hitting...looking for feedback

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RayR

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Lower half needs an overhaul - no more spinning and more transferring weight like throwing a ball.....I would start with that....(I know, I know, I am usually all about the hands....but she has quick hands....needs to get the spinning stopped otherwise her ceiling will be much lower then it needs to be)
 
Jul 31, 2010
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Thanks for the input. She isn't hitting off of a machine...there's not even one in the building. All side/front toss. She usually starts off with a wood bat and baseballs and then on to her bat and softballs.

I will mention it to the instructor about her being to tall, but he has been trying to get her more tall and level because before she was too much the other way. As in leaning too far back.

This video was from around Thanksgiving..she has improved since then, I just need to film her again.

Well, I will start and then others can give additional advice. I had to turn the sound off, so that I didn't have to listen to the instructor. My approach would be a lot different, but then, I don't know how often he has worked with her. He is using terms like "stack the hands" and "stay inside the ball" and I am not certain that she has been taught the terms. He sounded like he had just read a book on hitting.

She is too straight up and down and many times her shoulders seem to square to me.

We would be working the bottom half a lot and I would have her flexing the knees, almost into a "sit."

She stings her own hands at one point and she has to keep swinging, because they are using a machine. I wish that all instructors used a tee and soft toss. Then, you can stop and demonstrate what you are saying.
 
Jul 31, 2010
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Thanks for the info...I agree with you especially on #3...What would a good drill be to work on this? Throwing the bats into the net?

This is a really good swing, dlobell! She's got good coil (load), stretch and separation at toe touch - I'll bet she can hit some balls a long way. For me, to hit it even further:

1. Have her hold that coil she gathered at load through toe touch. Some call it "forward by coil." Another poster, MTS, says to think about the front hip "leading" the knee into toe touch. I like that cue because it implies, at least to me, the maintenance of that coil.

2. She needs to allow the weight to shift from back to front a little bit more. It looks like she's "squishing the bug" and spinning with the back foot. I use the cue, "Drive the back hip into the front hip." That allows for a bit more transfer of that weight, and fixes her spinning. The walkthrough drill is a good drill for working on this as well.

*3. I can't tell because of the angle and speed of the video - I don't know how to make GIFs or to slow it down - but it looks like occasionally she rolls the bat over a bit early/doesn't have the shoulder, forearm & bat angle consistent through contact, which for me means an early roll over. She's losing the integrity of the shoulder, forearm & bat angle (which should be pretty consistent or the same at contact) because she's forcing the top hand to roll over too soon. The picture below shows what I'm talking about, because my words may not be cutting it right now!

View attachment 2986
 
Jul 31, 2010
17
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She is with her instructor and I am definitely happy with him...there seems to be some knowledgable people on this site and wanted some opinions and what she coud be working on.

It sounds like she is with an instructor in this video. Are you not happy with him? Maybe you are wondering if your money is being well spent or if there is more to offer in the batting world?
 
Jul 31, 2010
17
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Thanks for the advice. You hit it right on the head. She is feisty! LOL! She does do soft toss and hard toss. What can she do to work on balance other than just sitting a little lower?

I like her. I'd want to see her in a weekend of games, but couple of years ago in 14u I'd probably be putting her on my list to call. Good strong aggressive swing. Good vibe, seems feisty, looks like fun to her, some videos we see the batter looks to have the personality of a dead mule.

Amy hits a good point, she looks a little tall in stance. Looks like that's why she gets off balance on some hits. Legs gotta be the bedrock.

I'd be working soft and hard toss into zones while working on the lower half. Good strong legs, but sequence seems a tad off. Or maybe it's me............our whole family has the flu. What a way to start the New Year!!
 
Jul 31, 2010
17
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Thanks...when you say "spinning", do you mean the back pivot?

Do you have a video of a swing that you could use as an example?


Lower half needs an overhaul - no more spinning and more transferring weight like throwing a ball.....I would start with that....(I know, I know, I am usually all about the hands....but she has quick hands....needs to get the spinning stopped otherwise her ceiling will be much lower then it needs to be)
 
Jul 10, 2008
380
18
Central PA
A drill I've used to address this is what I call "chaining" (this term means different things to different coaches, but this is just my terminology for my hitters). From a tee, have your hitter get to the contact point in the position you would like her to be, and for your DD focus on the shoulder, forearm, barrel angle. Then in slow motion, back her up to toe touch and then back to contact in slow motion. Have her do this several times so she can get the feel of the path her shoulders, forearms, and bat angle. From there, have her take regular swings at 3/4 speed, focusing on those angles as she hits off a tee. Once she gets the feel for that, cut her loose at full speed trying to create the same motions. Make that part of her regular tee work for a while.
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
Thanks for the advice. You hit it right on the head. She is feisty! LOL! She does do soft toss and hard toss. What can she do to work on balance other than just sitting a little lower?

We throw medicine balls back and forth in the "squatted" hitting stance. Core work.

That's why I said hard/soft toss in "zones". She needs to "feel" where her balance is compared to "zoned" swings. How far she can reach/extend and still maintain power without "leaning" the core too much.

First few zone dates you should tell her where the pitch is coming. Working what she CAN hit for power and what she CAN'T and lay off it. Youll have to with her judge how far out of the strike zone she can still produce power. Then you slowly mix zones without her knowledge. Making her "decide" based on location vs individual balance limitations. EVERY BATTER has a different optimal hitting zone due to height, arm length, bat length, core length, etc.

If this doesn't make sense I'll try again tomorrow, GD got the darn flu and I can't think to type what I mean.
 
Jul 31, 2010
17
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What should I be looking for in particular when it comes to the shoulder, forearm and bat angle?



A drill I've used to address this is what I call "chaining" (this term means different things to different coaches, but this is just my terminology for my hitters). From a tee, have your hitter get to the contact point in the position you would like her to be, and for your DD focus on the shoulder, forearm, barrel angle. Then in slow motion, back her up to toe touch and then back to contact in slow motion. Have her do this several times so she can get the feel of the path her shoulders, forearms, and bat angle. From there, have her take regular swings at 3/4 speed, focusing on those angles as she hits off a tee. Once she gets the feel for that, cut her loose at full speed trying to create the same motions. Make that part of her regular tee work for a while.
 

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