Coaching Rec Hitting

[mosh]

About a year ago I came here looking for some coaching advice for my daughter’s rec team. I’m relatively new to the game and the advice and suggestions I got here were a tremendous help. During the season, the girls (and I) learned a lot and most importantly had fun doing so. Most of the girls have signed up again this year so I guess we did something right! I attribute a lot of that to the drills and practice ideas some of you gave me. So many thanks to all those who chimed in.

One area that was a little frustrating last year was hitting practice. I used stations (tee, soft toss, live, etc) and had parent volunteers so we could usually get a quite a few swings in but I found it difficult to give a lot of individual instruction to the girls. These are 9-10 year old girls and most are very inexperienced. I don’t think many of them get a lot of practice at home so the only instruction they get is what they get at practice, which because of field availability is limited to once a week for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Of course, we also have to cover a lot more than just hitting in this time.

As I mentioned, I can split them up into stations to give them a number of swings but I also don’t want to ingrain any bad habits. My volunteer parents are less experienced than me so they can’t help out too much in this area. At least I got one of my parents to stop telling the girls to “squish the bug and swing level” so I made some progress there!

Does anyone have any ideas for how to teach a large group of inexperienced girls proper swing fundamentals without getting too technical? I show them proper stance, grip, stride, etc. and I know a lot on here have mentioned teaching them to hit by teaching them to throw. I’ve used that and it does help but does anyone have any other ideas I can use? I appreciate any thoughts you might have.

 

[David Carter]

It is hard, first I would say you only do as many stations as you have parents you trust so it might only be two or three, like you said more bad swings is no good. Next think about going to a local batting cage, we do this to get in extra hitting practice, all the parents chip in a couple bucks each and I try and get a machine and either a lane or any side area you can set up a tee and net. I have girls hit off the machine then as they are done bring them over to the tee to work on things I saw that needed improvement, really helps to have at least one knowledgeable parent that can simply do tee drills while you keep watching girls.

I did also email them each a basic hitting video and also in the first few weeks did a hitting analysis for each of them.

You are however correct that if all they do is practice with the team they will only get so much better.

 

[quincy]

Might not be helpful but DD and me go to the park on Sunday and invite a player to come with us. Both DD and the player get more hitting in an hour and a ½ then they will get all season at practice. It is hard juggling 12 players at practice.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I would be realistic about how much you can teach rec players in a short season. By nature, a rec player isn't as motivated as a travel player and isn't going to major adjustments in 10 weeks, nor is she as willing to take a step backward in hopes of being a better hitter in six months. So I'd have stations that teach basic things, like how to load and transfer weight, how to utilize the hips/legs. Have drills for those objectives and make sure that they know the purpose of those drills. If you do a high-tee drill, explain to them the objective of not dropping the hands so they're not just mindlessly swinging, which they are apt to do.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Some rec players do so for family scheduling, budgets or lack of opportunity. It has nothing to do with their "nature," motivation, willingness to improve, or being mindless, unless there is lack of motivation, unwillingness, and mindlessness in the adults around the program. So let's get rid of stereotypes.

I think you've done more to stereotype me than I have to stereotype rec players.

The use of the word ''mindless'' was meant to describe how both rec and travel players might approach a drill if not sufficiently motivated or instructed by what you describe as ''the expectations set by the parents and adults.'' I didn't say that this was the ''nature'' of a rec player.

By ''nature,'' I was referring to the fact (not stereotype) that travel players are year-round and rec players generally are not. You have one for 10 weeks and 50 hours, the other for 10 months and 250 hours. As a result, I would not approach team hitting the same for the two groups. If others disagree, that's what this board is about.

 

[packhand]

I have to agree with Out in Left Field. There is alot of stereo typing about "rec" players on this site. I guess rec is different in all parts of the country.

Coogan hit the nail on the head. Its about hours and reps. There is a big Travel BB group based out of our home fields and I watch them practice alot... They don't do any different drills than we do. Are they more efficient at some of the drills? Absolutely...but for the most part, most of the kids are average athletes that practice one sport year round. How could they NOT be better?? I also watch some of the TB girls practice and play games around us.... Guess what? They are pretty good but they are still just young girls. Same for the boys.

There are so many TB teams around me that if your DD has an inkling of athletic ability and mom or dad have an open checkbook, you are on the team. There are about 8 TB teams within a 15 minute drive from me. I swear some parents just pay so their DD can wear their TB jersey around town...

Rec girls are no different than TB girls in alot of ways. Most come out to play and learn something not just goof around and "have fun". Actually most of my girls on the team play multiple sports and are good athletes. In the spring they want to play SB so with some practice and reps we are playing SB making real plays...

I am old school I guess. Rec is where everyone played when i was young. You played towns around you and that developed into good rivalries that went into HS. We got better by playing pick up games. No trainers or instructors.

 

[David Carter]

Yeah it just really depends on what area you are in, I know I am at 14U now and most girls really want to be here but some are just starting. We had an optional practice and 7 of my average or better girls showed up, ran a third and short drill where they just form two lines and I hit balls they throw to first then they switch lines, more of just a warm up...after about 30 grounders and realized no bobbles and no overthrows to first....I'm thinking wow these girls are pretty good...then of course I mention it to my AC standing beside me and jinx it.

When we put our All Star team together we go play tournaments with TB teams to prepare for our run at nationals and while we don't win any tournaments we never embarrass ourselves, if we could have them together for a year instead of a few weeks I think our team would be in the mix with the rest of those TB teams.

Our league could also put together a decent travel volleyball club, since we have probably 5 or 6 girls (that are also All Stars) on different teams, like others have said some rec girls and their parents have different priorities. Given that it also means that while they care they have pre determined that they are not going to live softball so they don't practice every day at home and will only every reach a certain level in softball until they decide to make a larger commitment.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Your words put intent in the rec player's approach. If that is not what you meant, rewrite your post.

We can debate hitting philosophy, but that’s not the issue. I was put off by what sounded like someone talking down to me over a difference of opinion. The above comment is another example, imo. But I also think you have some of the more insightful posts on this board. So I’ll appreciate what I like and strive to be more thick-skinned about the rest.

 

[mosh]

So I'd have stations that teach basic things, like how to load and transfer weight, how to utilize the hips/legs. Have drills for those objectives and make sure that they know the purpose of those drills.

Can you give some examples of these? One of my problems is communicating how to load, transfer, use hips/legs. When I try to explain or show them, it usually results in them doing exaggerated movements and crazy contortions. Everytime I see a drill on Youtube or somewhere else that looks like it might work I usually see it debunked on here as being more harm than good.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Can you give some examples of these? One of my problems is communicating how to load, transfer, use hips/legs. When I try to explain or show them, it usually results in them doing exaggerated movements and crazy contortions. Everytime I see a drill on Youtube or somewhere else that looks like it might work I usually see it debunked on here as being more harm than good.

Great point about drills that you use, only to find it debunked on here.

Here's one that I use frequently. It's called a walk through drill. I believe it helps teach the feel of weight transfer.

Maybe somebody will debunk it, but here goes: