10U Girls not Swinging the bat, at all......Help???

[ykndoit]

We have a fairly new 10U team. 7 girls just moved up from coach pitch 8U, the other 4 are returning 10u girls. We have one designated hitting practice a week, involving soft toss, t-work, bunting, and machine pitching hitting. All the girls do good/great during practice. I even turn the machine up to 45-48 mph during practice and still get good results(over 80% contact rate).

BUT as soon as we get into a game, we can't get the girls to get the bat off their shoulders!!! We tell them to swing at anything close, ask them to bunt, insist that the only way to win is hit the ball.

Nothing works. We had 3 games yesterday and had 21 strikeouts. 16 were looking. None of the opposing pitchers were really wild, pitched around 35-40mph, no one got hit. The strike zone was exaturated but nothing out of the ordinary. This wasn't our first tournament. They've played 12 games this fall before this but this was the first time we seen more consistant pitching(more strikes).

This isn't a mechanic's issue( I don't think), this is a confidence or fear issue(IMO).

I asked the girls after the games what I can do to help them, I asked them if they were scared. I did get a few to raise their hands at that but these are the same girls that hit well off the machine. One said that they didn't think they were strikes.


I'm at a loss as what other things to do to build confidence to swing the bat.... help anyone????

 

[Michael N]

The transition from 8U coach or machine pitch to 10U kid pitch can only be described as "Ugly" , at least thats been my experience . The girls go from seeing a lot of good , consistent pitches to far more erratic pitching . The problem , as I see it , is that the girls can have a fairly high OBP without ever swinging the bat . My DD actually struggled against live pitching , other than bunting , until her second year of 12U . In the cage with her coach pitching she hits the ball like the fist of an angry God but once she goes up against a real pitcher she swings at garbage and stands there looking when medium speed pitches float in over the plate . Knowing what I know now I probably would have worked more with her on the "Yes , Yes , Yes" mentality when she was younger . Her new hitting coach actually has her say out loud while in the on deck circle , "If its a good pitch , I will swing at it." Over and over in the hopes that it will translate into a mental message when she quits saying it out loud . I have also had her start doing visualization exercises just before she goes to sleep every night . We have our first game next Sunday so we will have to see if it pays off at all

 

[humpty]

More live pitching.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Agree they need to "see" more live pitching. Some make the transition easy to kid pitch, some struggle for a while. No ones fault, its just the way it goes. I've never been big on the machine for practice, I think it actually does more harm than good. ( my 2 cents ) I will use it for mechanics, if someone needs it, but only as a quick tool. Once the mechanics are sound the machine goes back to the shed, they MUST learn to adjust on the fly to a person's pitches ( keeping the good mechanics ).

I used a "award" system early 8-10u. I always gave out the gold dollar coins for the weekend's top hitters. ( your local bank should have them or can order them ) In the park HR got a coin, best batting avg got a coin, most RBI got a coin, most hits got a coin. The girls really loved the rewards, it was a big deal at the post weekend meeting to see who had earned one. Probably wouldn't work in the older ages, too much drama.

 

[glf0845]

Explain hit-and-run and use it even if there is no base runner. Makes then swing the bat.

 

[ykndoit]

I like the idea of the hit and run. Makes them feel like they are needed besides just getting a hit. Only thing about that is what if no one is on. I guess I could say "You hit, you run!"

We will try to get more live pitching from outside sources. We haven't had the best of luck with hitting off our own pitchers.

I am not crazy about rewards because I think the hit itself should be the reward but maybe that might be the ticket.

I am really trying to figure out if its a mental issue or if the girls are scared. I wish I could read minds!!! I'd be rich...

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Sometimes I have resorted to telling the girls to go up there and swing 3 times. Now, of course you can get your DD and the coaches DDs to look at a few wild pitches, so that the pitcher doesn't start throwing all balls, just toget a strike out.

I never have a hitting student hit off of a pitching machine. They don't make the transition, well, to live pitching. I haven't used a pitching machine in 28 years. Do you have the Total Control Balls? I use those and have nice success with my students.

 

[Pitching Dad]

At this age I think they are still trying to figure out if the should swing or not at a pitch. Heres a drill I do, take a few balls and a Red Sharpie, color circles on the balls then mix them up in a bucket of uncolored balls. Throw pitches to them and only have them swing at the balls with the red circles on them, this makes the girls be prepared to swing at every pitch But layoff the uncolored balls, helps with keeping the eye on the ball. If you'll watch the girls not swinging they are probably not loading on every pitch and "ready" to hit during the pitch. Good luck first year 10u is a VERY frustrating time for hitters and coaches!!

 

[ykndoit]

That's a really good drill to see if they are even looking at the ball or are just swinging just to swing. Will definitely try that. Thanks!

My daughter has worked with the total control balls with her hitting coach but we don't have those with our team yet. I didn't know exactly what they were used for other than following your swing through the ball. Maybe you can elaborate more???

 

[humpty]

If live pitching isnt available. Front toss from 20 ft. Do not throw every pitch down the middle. If your pitchers are more advanced than your hitters have them pitch from 40ft at practice. Stress the fact that once you have 2 strikes your swinging at anything close.