Christmas wish

[iMlearning]

My wife asked me what I wanted for Xmas and I jokingly said that all I wanted is for my DD to get more lessons with a hitting instructor we like. We've only had about 5 lessons with him over the last 3 years because he is so hard to get in with. A friend of mine said you can only get in if you are close friends, on his 18U Gold team, or he thinks you may be on his team in the future.
At the end of summer we had a lesson with him and I was excited prior to having it, because at the time I thought it was going to be a couple times a month. After the lesson, in short, he said she had some glaring swing flaws and to work on them and come back to see him in a few months. I was pretty upset and even though he didn't say that in front of my daughter, she knew I was upset. When I told her lets work on these things and fix them, she went right to it and worked really hard, but said she didn't want to go back to him. We talked about it and she was just worried she wouldn't do well, but she would go if I could get in.
Last night we finally got in after he moved some other lessons around for us. He did a little "swing assessment" and I was really thrilled with what I was seeing, but he was pretty quiet. It was hard to read what he was thinking. After about a half hour, he did some live pitching and video taped it. My daughter was pretty timid the whole time but I could tell she was happy with what she was doing. She kept looking over for approval nods from me
The last 15 minutes were spent analyzing video. He then finally said, "I like your swing and can tell you've been working hard." If you keep working hard, you'll have a lot of opportunities in the future. He then looked at me and said he'd try to move the other lessons and try to get her in every week until College Spring training starts. I was so excited and my daughter had a big smile on her face.
So, I got my Christmas wish. I think it was because his dog likes me so much. He pointed out how weird it was. The dog sits on my lap and just stares at my face the whole time. I must smell like bacon.
Oh, his instruction seems very similar to what Dr. Yeager teaches. He also does live pitching (dang he's fast) and video analysis at the end of each lesson.
Most of what we've been working on has been things learned from people on this site, so thanks so much!

 

[rdbass]

View attachment 2852View attachment 2853
Your welcome send the check to...You and your DD did all the work. Many come to this site few are able to take the info learned on this site and correctly apply it to their DD's. You my friend have done it. You give us dads "Christmas hope". I got coal and you got a hitting coach. Lucky!
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[iMlearning]

Thanks Rd. As you can guess, the number one thing he wants to focus on is the lower half. He said he's liking what he's seeing with the way the upper half has improved.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Sounds like someone was on the "nice" list this year!! Congrats.

 

[rdbass]

The dog sits on my lap and just stares at my face the whole time. I must smell like bacon.

No your a "Dog wisperer".

 

[starsnuffer]

Congrats! Sounds like she's been doing a lot of work.

One thing I need to throw out, because it seems you're really enamored with this instructor: Lessons are there to improve. The instructors job is to assess, prioritize, and lay out a plan for improvement. The student's job is to absorb knowledge and execute the plan.

If you keep giving your daughter the impression that she is there to impress the instructor, it makes it much more difficult for her to accomplish the steps above. You've put him on a pedestal and she will too, and that isn't usually a good thing. The instructor needs to be critical and will only usually point out flaws, if your daughter thinks that she is there to be praised. . . well, you get it.

Keep up the good work!

-W

 

[nanotech14]

I'm sorry, but I wouldn't waste my dd's time with this instructor. It seems like you and your dd don't need him. The instructor says she has some glaring problems and come back in a couple of months. If you helped her fix them with out his help,then you can fix the rest. This so called hitting instructor and 18u gold coach sounds like he gets the players after someone else does all the work and coaching. He gets the finished product and builds his name more. I'm glad that your happy about it. I'm glad for your dd and you are getting the help. But he didn't want to help until he seen improvement, not much of a instructor, IMO. Go learn somewhere else then when you get better, come back and I will take your money and the credit.

 

[nanotech14]

Lets look at this with some different light. My dd takes lesson from Bill Hillhouse, not all the time right now, but this summer every week. If the first few time my dd went Bill too and he worked with her and then tells us. I see some glaring issues she needs to come back to me in a couple of months. She comes back and they are fixed, I'm go to start to wonder what I'm paying him for if I can fix them myself. If I can fix those problems, then I can fiqure out how to fix the rest.

But just to be clear this is only what if example, Bill did not do that, I repeat this did not happen

 

[iMlearning]

Lets look at this with some different light. My dd takes lesson from Bill Hillhouse, not all the time right now, but this summer every week. If the first few time my dd went Bill too and he worked with her and then tells us. I see some glaring issues she needs to come back to me in a couple of months. She comes back and they are fixed, I'm go to start to wonder what I'm paying him for if I can fix them myself. If I can fix those problems, then I can fiqure out how to fix the rest.

But just to be clear this is only what if example, Bill did not do that, I repeat this did not happen

Wow, I can't believe Bill did that!
Yes, I get your point, and I thank you for it. He just has a lot more knowledge than me and although my DD puts up with me helping her... I just think he can offer a lot more than me with his cages, pitching ability, etc... To his defense, he did give us drills etc... to help with her swing before we left.

 

[iMlearning]

Congrats! Sounds like she's been doing a lot of work.

One thing I need to throw out, because it seems you're really enamored with this instructor: Lessons are there to improve. The instructors job is to assess, prioritize, and lay out a plan for improvement. The student's job is to absorb knowledge and execute the plan.

If you keep giving your daughter the impression that she is there to impress the instructor, it makes it much more difficult for her to accomplish the steps above. You've put him on a pedestal and she will too, and that isn't usually a good thing. The instructor needs to be critical and will only usually point out flaws, if your daughter thinks that she is there to be praised. . . well, you get it.

Keep up the good work!

-W

It's funny that I actually told her before we went in, that she was there to learn, and not to impress him. I'm still sure I probably conveyed a different message. She definitely knows he's not one to give praise. It has been her dream to play for him however some day.