How to help my talented young players overcome fear in the batters box

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May 1, 2018
7
0
Hi everyone. First post on DFP, glad I found it, seems like a great resource.

I'm the head coach for a 10U travel team. I'm having trouble with some of my players being scared in the box and simply not swinging during the game. They are all great hitters in the batting cage and have received excellent instruction over the last few years -- form and technique are not really the problem. When it's a pitching machine, or a coach pitching, they can crush the ball, but when they're facing live pitching in a game some of them just freeze. We've taught them how to get their timing off the pitchers windup and they can do it fine in practice.

I think the biggest part of it is fear. Some of them are actually stepping back in the box as the pitch is coming, or are only thinking about jumping out of the way.

How do you help a player overcome that?? I've exhausted all my options of what I can tell them as far as the physical process, routine, and approach, they're just not doing it. I want to see these girls crushing balls, not jumping out of the way of a strike!!
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Try turning the pitching machine up as high as it can go (65mph) and have them getting in the box. They don't swing, just get comfortable seeing the ball moving very fast.
 
May 1, 2018
7
0
Try turning the pitching machine up as high as it can go (65mph) and have them getting in the box. They don't swing, just get comfortable seeing the ball moving very fast.

That might get them used to seeing a fast ball, and will help with a quick swing, but it won't help them with fear because they know they won't get hit by the pitching machine. They're much more scared of a 35 mph pitcher than a 50 mph machine.
 
May 1, 2018
659
63
for them stepping back, a bucket behind their front foot.
For the fear and not swinging factor, have your pitcher pitch to them in practice. As many live pitches as they can see in practice the better.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
I've told them that a hundred times. It's the fact that it hurts is what scares them.

Good, you don’t want to fool them. They are absolutely correct … it does hurt. It’s also part of the game.

There will be games when a team won’t be able to get a hit, and yet still have a goal of winning. First batter may wear a pitch … then steal 2B … then be bunted over to 3B … and score on a sac-fly. One run scored … no hits recorded.
 
May 1, 2018
7
0
for them stepping back, a bucket behind their front foot.
For the fear and not swinging factor, have your pitcher pitch to them in practice. As many live pitches as they can see in practice the better.

Yes, I was thinking about both of these options. It definitely comes down to them seeing as much live pitching as they can, but that also increases the chance of them getting hit which would just make it worse. But I think that's the risk you have to take so we'll start doing more of it.

As far as the bucket behind the foot, I'm afraid that might just make them feel trapped, like I'm holding them in front of a firing squad. That technique works for kids who step out on their stride, but this is very different, this is fear, not a improper stride. When they DO swing they don't step out. When I said "stepping back in the box" earlier, I should have said, "cowering away in fear".

It's a delicate mental pathway that needs to be walked, and that's what I'm looking for - some potential psychological tricks that won't make things worse.

Bubble wrap maybe?? :)
 
Last edited:

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
This is a temporary fix for a temporary problem.

You get three strikes so you can use one of them for this. If you are facing a pitcher who is throwing enough strikes, choose either the first or second pitch of the at-bat and give them a 'swing' sign. It doesn't matter - ball or strike doesn't matter - they are to go after THAT pitch. Takes all the decision making out of their hands. And hey, they still have at least one more strike - probably two.

Once they get a few hits, you move over to the 'YES until NO' approach where everything is YES and swing until it is clearly a ball.

These are the first plans of batting I teach the younger ages. I have found it a good place to start.
 
Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
Have them face as much live pitching as possible in practice. Warm up your pitchers and have them pitch to your players every practice. Lots of reps in practice and games will get them comfortable over time. I don't think its something you can rush...Also, not a big fan of pitching machines. I would focus a lot more on live pitching and coach pitch front toss.
 

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