"College coaches often harm players hitting trying to get them to swing a particular way."

[Rolling Hard]

WHY, Coach? Is it ego? You recruited a player and then want to change them. I can understand a tweak or a 'have you ever tried ..." but to get them to buy into a whole new cookie cut hitting system is not a good idea. The player has worked and had success with her current swing but now you are going to enlighten them with how it is really done. Happens in the minor leagues of MLB too. In David Eckstein book Have Heart he tells how he almost got coached out of ever playing in the bigs. BTW, his book is a great short read for encouraging positivity.

 

[softball dad 6]

Part of DDs process of selecting a college was based on if the team seemed to have a hitting philosophy you had to buy into? She wanted a college that seemed to work with girls of different styles and try and make them the most successful hitters they could be without all having the same swing.

 

[radness]

Happens while players are in travel ball, and high school too.
Imagine every season a coach wants a player to change?! Yikes!
How then to find consistency?

The debate on this could be at college players are able to make applicable changes quicker?
Even with that possibility theres
a difference in an adjustment vs. changing swing.

Not my style to recruit and change.
Generally because i look for success first. What the athlete brings to what they are doing.
Eventhough i teach hitting, not everyone on the roster has to hit the same! Recognize individuals find comfortability and success in different mechanics.
Timing being a major component, seeing pitches and the brain reacting comes with a players mental approach.
While we may want batters to
either be aggressive or selective, the brains compatibility to changing mental approach can also make facing a pitcher awkward.
Creates uncertainty.
While Coaching, prefer recognizing attributes and focussing on supporting those for growth.

 

[AdamTheSoftballDad]

My oldest DD actually had this problem with her high school team. Her senior year her coach changed her hitting style at the end of the season. It didn’t affect her during school ball since that was over before she really started hitting like how he wanted her to. However, it did affect the beginning of DDs travel season. Out of nowhere my DD started popping up a ton and rarely getting on base due to this new hitting style. Thankfully it didn’t last long and my DD went back to her preferred and much more successful style of hitting after a few weeks of popping up.

 

[625ender]

Coaches have a very stupid habit of creating a problem so they can solve it. It does far more harm than good. The players feel obligated to do it to stay in good graces and get playing time. The vast majority of coaching today sucks

 

[Quasimodo]

WHY, Coach? Is it ego? You recruited a player and then want to change them. I can understand a tweak or a 'have you ever tried ..." but to get them to buy into a whole new cookie cut hitting system is not a good idea. The player has worked and had success with her current swing but now you are going to enlighten them with how it is really done. Happens in the minor leagues of MLB too. In David Eckstein book Have Heart he tells how he almost got coached out of ever playing in the bigs. BTW, his book is a great short read for encouraging positivity.

One year we had a college freshman from California who hit .260 on the season and led the team in extra-base hits. She swung with a rather severe barred front arm. I was asked by the head coach what we should do with her. I said nothing! We had 5 freshmen, and as is typical, especially with 2nd tier D1 schools, not many new recruits hit .260 with 25 doubles. I said, fall ball is when she should be fixed. She did struggle little over 62-63mph especially inside. But I think you can over due it. Performance tells the story.

 

[livingontheroad]

My dd hit most HR her freshman yr......led conference part of season. Not even close senior yr. About 1/3 as many as freshman yr.

Her pitch selection was far better....and strikeouts less as SR though. And had that swing.

She holds school record in HR....and strikeouts. And a few others.

 

[Laphoneman]

Figure out what type swing the preferred college uses and start learning at a young age.

 

[_MIA_]

I would say if you rake they will leave you alone but then supposedly OU's hitting coach tried to mess with Jocelyn Alo's swing after she set the NCAA frosh record for HRs so I guess that isn't true..

 

[Bubrox]

DW still has a meme on the side of the fridge that says "If you would stop telling players to hit down on the ball......That would be great."

Went to a Big 10 school camp one yerar and the coach preached chopping down on the ball. DD2 was lost trying to do that. A few Dads at the Camp walked by DW and said don't change your DD's swing.