"Brain telling hands to swing, arms not doing it" says DD

[Westwind]

Anybody heard a statement like this and did you figure out what to do about it?

Here is the situation: Usually during live pitching, DD gets frustrated with herself for not swinging at strikes. She says "My brain is telling me to swing but my arms don't do it".

It sometimes occurs during machine drills for her team. They are using white Atec softies in the high school gym and she says due to the already weak lighting and being in the cage she has a hard time picking up the ball. Not sure I buy that since she has complained about the same thing at other times. She has convinced herself that she isn't batting well.

Couple things I tried after browsing through the great info on this site: I pitched to her and had her call balls and strikes from a batting position but I told her not to swing. Was hoping she would discern balls from strikes better with no pressure of having to hit the ball.

Also pitched to her and kept counts. I never struck her out, she walked rarely, and I pointed out that she did 10 at bats without striking out. She remains unconvinced...

Is this a hitters psychology deal or perhaps something else? I really try to stay positive with her and I subscribe to the idea that if you work hard and visualize success during at bats the rest will take care of itself... Thanks, ww.

 

[Ade's Dad]

Did she call balls and strikes when they crossed the plate or about half way between the plate and pitching rubber?

 

[Westwind]

They were already past her- and it was like she had to think about it sometimes.

 

[KevinC]

I tell my players to assume every pitch is going to be a strike. They need to decide as early as they can whether it's a hittable pitch and if not they can shut down their swing. I think it is much easier to shut down your swing then to start it up after you've decided it's a good pitch.

 

[druer]

If she can't see them, then I'm not sure I buy the "my brain said to swing but my hands didn't bit."

My guess would be that she is actually so afraid to swing and miss that her brain isn't really triggering at all. Guessing that because you made a point of saying that you had to help her focus on "not striking out." Make her swing at every single pitch no matter where the ball is, and help her develop the confidence that she can catch up to it, and that she isn't going to get yelled at for swinging at something out of the strike zone or that she's early or late on. Often times girls develop a mentality that they are "goalies" simply protecthing the catchers mitt and thus they swing soooo late that they aren't really attacking the ball.

I typically make girls bunt 5-10 pitches to get their eyes used to finding and tracking the ball before I let them swing. If it really is a visual thing that might help her start picking the ball up better.

 

[starsnuffer]

Try using the numbered balls drill. Get about 10 softballs and a black permanent marker and write the numbers on the ball (use number 1,2, and 3). Pitch the balls to her, informing her not to swing, but to make good takes (good takes include loading, toe touch and watching the ball into the catchers mitt). Have her call out the number as soon as she sees it (you'll have to practice hiding the balls before you pitch a bit but this isn't that hard). See if you can get her calling them earlier and earlier. This will tell you if she's tracking the ball or not. Once she gets good at this, spin the balls a bit and have her tell you the number and the direction of rotation.

-W

 

[Ade's Dad]

I think the greatest benefit of calling the pitches and not swinging will start to show when she can call them about half way to the plate.Put out another ball or cone on the ground.Tell her to call it when it reaches that point.Start closer to the plate and keep moving it back toward middle ways as she gets better.Sure she will be wrong sometimes,but she will get better.I think KC, druer and star are right on the mark also.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

When was her last eye exam? Start there. She very well, might not be able to see white against a bright background.

 

[guero_gordo]

First: I'm definitely +1 for Amy's suggestion, contrast problems, or even colorblindness could make it hard to pick out the ball from a particular bg.

If she's calling the balls correctly, I wouldn't necessarily worry that it takes few cycles to get the words out. It's a visual thing, and takes some processing to make verbal. My DD will replay the numbered balls in her head to make the image-->number--> word process, but when she's tracking, she's 100%.

 

[2bucketdad]

She needs to be swinging until her brain says not to swing...green light every pitch and the only decision the brain has to make is DON'T SWING... she will be able to stop swinging at a ball than she will be able to decide that the pitch is a strike, start a swing and adjust to the ball...