11yo Maddie

[Eric F]

I believe that is true.

In the game swing she is out of sequence. She failed to time the pitcher. She is instead simply timing the ball, and as a result she is rushed out of her sequence.

Congrats on the triple.

I agree completely about the game swing. It's load all-forward...in a hurry, and not a great movement. She survives on her quickness alone, but she could be better.

To her credit, this was a 2-strike pitch that she later told me she felt jammed up and in, and was just happy she got good contact.

The contrast between her cage swings and game swing is something that I can show her on video, and will hopefully lead to better understanding on her part.

 

[cooprules15]

The contrast between her cage swings and game swing is something that I can show her on video, and will hopefully lead to better understanding on her part.

Let me know how this works out for you. I am attempting the same thing. Our DDs are approx the same age it seems. My DD has gotten away with timing the ball up until now. And with her swing change the sequence of the swing is technically longer than ever. Just needs to start that dance with the pitcher during the windup...I think they 'get' it. It's just a tough thing to start doing.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

You could try butting the bat handle against the side of her rear foot. extend bat towards pitcher. Mark the end of her bat on the floor. Have her set up normal and have her practicing striding the length of her bat plus or minus an inch.
Have her land soft of the front edge of her front foot with a flexed knee.
Just the cue land soft, usually has them flexed knee'd with no more instruction.

Power and good weight shift should be some positive things as a result of doing this.



Straightleg

Hmmm...I'm not so sure about mandating how much stride she takes. I like what she was doing in the cage last week, and that's the direction I'd like her to go with her game swing at the moment.

Correct. The stride, when present, should be the result of a proper sequenced loading pattern.

 

[Eric F]

Let me know how this works out for you. I am attempting the same thing. Our DDs are approx the same age it seems. My DD has gotten away with timing the ball up until now. And with her swing change the sequence of the swing is technically longer than ever. Just needs to start that dance with the pitcher during the windup...I think they 'get' it. It's just a tough thing to start doing.

I had her compare the two videos on the ride to school this morning. She can see the differences in loading pattern - static vs. flow. We talked about how she moves with me when I'm doing front toss, but that element is gone when she's facing real pitching.

The overall sequence of your DD's swing may be longer, but what matters is the time between commitment and contact, and the adjustability window within the swing. Be sure your DD understands that starting the process early doesn't mean commitment to the swing, but the process needs to start on EVERY swing. Timing the pitcher triggers the start of the process. Timing the ball triggers the launch. Both should be happening.

 

[cooprules15]

Be sure your DD understands that starting the process early doesn't mean commitment to the swing, but the process needs to start on EVERY swing. Timing the pitcher triggers the start of the process. Timing the ball triggers the launch. Both should be happening.

Love that she's watching video on the way to school...lol...I have to pick the right times to go over video with her. It definitely does help her understand what's going on though. I just need to get her moving while the pitcher is moving..having that slow load get started. Hard to do with limited live pitching opportunities.

 

[Eric F]

Love that she's watching video on the way to school...lol...I have to pick the right times to go over video with her. It definitely does help her understand what's going on though. I just need to get her moving while the pitcher is moving..having that slow load get started. Hard to do with limited live pitching opportunities.

Some days she's more open to it than others - LOL.

For your DD, try having her pay attention to how she's moving with you during front toss. Make her aware of it so you can trigger that memory against live pitching.

 

[cooprules15]

For your DD, try having her pay attention to how she's moving with you during front toss. Make her aware of it so you can trigger that memory against live pitching.

I'm trying. Your key of 'starting the process early doesn't mean commitment to the swing' is huge. We do take/hit drills all the time and slo mo feet together drills..Have never really told her to concentrate on making that load movement extra slow. I think that could be the answer for her.

 

[Eric F]

I'm trying. Your key of 'starting the process early doesn't mean commitment to the swing' is huge. We do take/hit drills all the time and slo mo feet together drills..Have never really told her to concentrate on making that load movement extra slow. I think that could be the answer for her.

Have your DD look at this...

Mig starts the same on EVERY pitch, regardless of whether or not he swings.

 

[cooprules15]

She definitely knows the concept. We have done take/hit drills off the tee for weeks. She starts her stride and I say either take or hit during the stride. That has really helped.
Her motion and timing is definitely consistent vs live pitching. It's just that it starts too late. She's still in the load phase when the ball is out of the pitcher's hand.

Sorry, Eric...I didn't mean to hijack your thread...I just love getting the different advice.

 

[rdbass]

Your key of 'starting the process early doesn't mean commitment to the swing' is huge.

A hitter is swinging/ 'committed' to every pitched ball. Up until the hitter decides not to swing or 'commit' to the pitched ball.