17 yr old Haley

[Shawn]

Can you post the full clip with all the lines ?

This clip she swings "down to" from a leveraged position which is a check point I am looking for.. I prefer using the middle to control the move out vs the rear leg.. The rear leg is important but only part of the sequence of movements... Some attempt to slave all movements around the rear leg which is one of the largest black holes on these discussion boards. Kids end up becoming robotic and un-natural.

Are you saying that is a good swing and a good swing path?

 

[Shawn]

Down in back or down in front?

 

[Shawn]

Contact out front, not deep...

 

[TDS]

Are you saying that is a good swing and a good swing path?

View attachment 21847

I am saying she does what she needs to do to hit line drives through her target.. Her goal is not a turned behind barrel path.

 

[Shawn]

I am saying she does what she needs to do to hit line drives through her target.. Her goal is not a turned behind barrel path.

You can see the swing path correct? It’s nothing you would actually teach, correct? Romero....?

 

[Eric F]

I am saying she does what she needs to do to hit line drives through her target.. Her goal is not a turned behind barrel path.

Is Syd's swing a hand path and barrel path you would teach?

 

[TDS]

Yes, I would teach a "down to" barrel path once leveraged.. The barrel path for both were adjustments for the inside pith location..

 

[Shawn]

Not the same hand or barrel path.

 

[Mike-Coach Q]

If her name wasn’t Romero , an amazing softball player and career that we all love and respect, this swing would be look at differently. I understand it’s a front toss swing so it’s a little loose.

IMO My kids couldn’t get away with those mechanics.
Don’t get me wrong the end result is beautiful. Her awareness, timing and body control is what makes her great not the swing.

As a high school coach, Ive learned to always appreciate the swing as well as the results of that swing. If I take a 350 hitter with a good swing and teach her IMO a great swing and turn her in to a frustrated 200 hitter. Did I help her or my team?

Haley was different, a great young player that was starting to get passed up by by better pitching. We’ve all seen the talented 10 or 12 u player get caught by 14 and passed by 16. I made an offer to her and she agreed. I decided to share our journey together over her 4 years of high school.

I don’t claim to be an expert on the HLP and I will explore other ways to teach hitting with the principals of HLP but I do refer to Richard for his views. I know that HLP offers several advantages over other methods of swinging the bat that most never experience until they dive all in like Haley has. If I tried to changed her swing , she’d find another coach.

 

[Eric F]

Yes, I would teach a "down to" barrel path once leveraged.. The barrel path for both were adjustments for the inside pith location..

Teaching Sydney's steep down-to barrel path is a recipe for timing struggles with most young hitters. One thing also needs to be considered is that Sydney is a ridiculously talented athlete with a tremendously high ability to deliver her barrel on time. Her athleticism is a big part of why she has been successful.

Sierra's barrel path is significantly different than Sydney's.