11 y/o swing from behind the plate...

[casedawg51]

Looking at her hand drop. Does it look excessive or more just how she sets her hands. She is trying to work on keeping them up but she struggles. She has always had a handsy swing. Apologize for the limited view. I couldn't get to the right of that particular alley. Any other suggestions are welcome even with the limited view, more to come. As always, a work in progress.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=334094870062723&set=vb.100003866372264&type=2&theater

 

[lhowser]

For one thing consider not starting so high with hands. Top of strike zone is sufficient. This alone will change her pattern.

 

[RayR]

The comp is meant to show the differences in how the barrel gets loaded into the swing.

 

[redhotcoach]

Thats a nice show Ray. Look at how much stretch (is it Jen Yee) has. How her hands are still back and barrel turning with the upper resisting as her lower half is turning. Power if she is early and power if she is late.

 

[Westwind]

Casedawg, a bucket dad here, so take what I say for what it's worth.

My 11 year old goes through periods where she starts her hands just a little higher, (it doesn't take much), and she flattens her bat and it gets near parallel to the ground as she initiates the swing. When she slips into that, her hands start higher and slide down. It looks just like what your dd is doing. When that happens, she struggles with lack of power and weak groundouts to ss.

Couple things cure that for her immediately, she doesn't start her hands above her rear shoulder, she does the balance/elvis move drill like Straitlegs dd in the youttube video and the Crystl Bustos tee drills. Also like the reverse top hand drill and face the fire drill for this.

It sounds dumb, but also check her grip. Dd got into a goofy habit of curling up her top hand top finger incorrectly emulating older hitters. Easton turbo slot gloves and going back to the Bat Jack in practice really helped several things. She is hitting the ball harder than ever now. I think grip might be the most overlooked part of the swing. When they grip less than optimal it makes them compensate in places you would never guess. My dd's both have good lower half but I swear my young one was throwing off her lower half with her grip…

Love how Jen Yee hits from where she initiates the swing forward. Pretty swing, pretty SCN8B : ) She sure is busy with those hands until she initiates tho.

 

[RayR]

Westwind - can you describe the elvis drill as you understand it?

Thanks!

 

[Westwind]

Is this a test?, lol! Sure, but I think that SL does a better job! And I'm just a bucket dad...

First of all we do it in front of a mirror because what she THINKS she is doing and what she is REALLY doing can be two different things. (Thanks FFS!) They gotta feel it, (Thanks Hitter!)

They have to start in the correct position, bend over at the waist and soften their knees in that order.

Then we go through the steps just like SL does, steps are more or less load and separate, elvis move, bat lag, contact (fires bat through zone with wrists) then finish position.

I think what is key for this discussion is that the hips go and her hands and bat have not yet started, and when they do the hands don't drop and flatten the bat parallel to the ground. The bat stays on the same angle as the shoulders. Oddly enough, IMHO opinion, the slow motion, segmented swing puts the full motion swing into the proper "sequence" which is a word I associate with FFS more than SL, Bouldersdad or Hitter.

The tee drills are a progression and parts of each swing is slow motion. I think there are four progressions to the full swing at full speed.. I don't know them all that well. DD's learned them at a CB camp and they are in charge of themselves and doing it correctly when we work that. Their understanding of their swings has been enhanced imho by the girls becoming "player coaches" to themselves and I am quite proud of how much they understand and can communicate to each other. I think there may be a few coaches in my little band of two dd's and their friend who hit in my shed.

I'll add my standard disclaimer here: Both the criticism and the praise of these slo-mo type drills, including knob parallel to the pitch and kinda snapping the wrist through the ball may not be exactly what happens in a good swing, but somehow these drills get you to that place. As a bucket dad, I do NOT understand the jargon that goes on on this board at times. I can understand this and I can work with my kids, and get results.

 

[rdbass]

Going for simple because I'm a simply guy. Watch Yee's rear elbow. Watch your DD's rear elbow.

See if your DD can copy/match her/Yee's rear elbow. As your DD lowers her hands that is a good time to load the elbow behind the corner. Just that one little 'elbow poke' to someone she doesn't wont standing behind her(not beside her) will do the trick.
*I'm adding-Try a more vertical bat. Right now your DD'd bat is flat. Vertical bat or 45 degree bat might help the 'elbow poke'.

 

[Westwind]

That elbow poke also does not cause her front shoulder to turn inward very much, yes?

Been trying to sort out the movements of good hand loading vs. just turning both shoulders at same time.

Is it a fair statement that Yee keeps her front shoulder pointed at the ball until she initiates, launches, whatever?

 

[casedawg51]

I think the thought behind that "elbow poke" is something she can understand. I will show her this comparison and talk through that thought and try to work it in.