combat virus morphed

[JC heir]

Hitter might want to get a better looking guy for the demo like Bouldersdad, Sbfamily or myself to do the demo explaining his hitting thoughts.


Straightleg

Ha Ha- actually maybe one of your DDs might be easier on the camera....

 

[Mark H]

I agree with palm up and palm down however I know that the grip influences the hand path and force applied when hitting the ball and the kids feel it and hear the difference so it has not been a problem getting them to do it.

Yes, but what are they doing six months later in the heat of a competitive game when they haven't thought about grip for five months? I wonder how much of that particular habit sticks.

If we ever met we can talk about Ralph and his exploits and hitting philosophies....yes he has changed but not as much as he would lead you to think he has.

Thanks Howard

I look forward to it.

 

[Mark H]

I also listened to Mrs Weekley do some coaching sessions as well as demonstrate for her husband & I was much more impressed with her knowledge of the game as well as her ability to teach it. I am not here to run down a coach with a great softball history, It s just that I wasnt impressed with his hitting philosophy.

I'm told he's a very charismatic recruiter. I'm told they both, as of a few years ago, believed in strong rotation and more of a linear hand path? I'm told they have always had the philosophy of hitting the ball HARD going at least all the way back to his PLU days.

 

[Mark H]

I can not believe they were on the same stage together myself! Hitting philosophy, I will take coach over Weekly any day!

Howard

Due to what I said above, I'd have to agree with you. At least to the limit of the currency of my information. I do like Weekly's professed intent to hit the ball HARD. That's one of the reasons I'm a big ULL fan. ULL was trying to crush the ball back when it was popular to play for 1-0 bunt and run innings in this game.

 

[Hitter]

Yes, but what are they doing six months later in the heat of a competitive game when they haven't thought about grip for five months? I wonder how much of that particular habit sticks.



I look forward to it.

Our kids have kept using the grip and they have seen the results so it has not been an issue to continue using it...it is catching on as even at the clinics the coaches, parents and players can feel and hear the difference. It is easier to convince someone when they can feel and hear the difference ESPECIALLY with girls. The boys are much more difficult to convince and it is pure ego and the girls want it more.

Thanks Howard

 

[Hitter]

Due to what I said above, I'd have to agree with you. At least to the limit of the currency of my information. I do like Weekly's professed intent to hit the ball HARD. That's one of the reasons I'm a big ULL fan. ULL was trying to crush the ball back when it was popular to play for 1-0 bunt and run innings in this game.

Weekly ask me to critique his hitting program session he presented in 2005 at the NFCA. I wrote him a 10 page hand written letter and he never responded and we sent it twice.

I remember him doing the quick hand toss and I was laughing as you could see the his girls in the film struggling trying to keep up with the person soft tossing and they were off balance and you could see the bottom half mechanics being reduce in lieu of keeping the bat moving. Then they were hitting a rubber tube about 15 to 18 inches in diameter suspended from chains and as they got to contact you could see the look of pain in their face as the bat came to almost a stop and then they tried to muscle the tube through contact. I was sitting near many coaches and we were all laughing at what the hitter must be feeling and thinking. I will not name the other coaches however he said out loud that is why we throw his kids inside and throw his kids change ups. He said everyone knows they are not allowed to swing at a change up unless they have two strikes.

Thanks Howard

 

[Mark H]

Our kids have kept using the grip and they have seen the results so it has not been an issue to continue using it...it is catching on as even at the clinics the coaches, parents and players can feel and hear the difference. It is easier to convince someone when they can feel and hear the difference ESPECIALLY with girls. The boys are much more difficult to convince and it is pure ego and the girls want it more.

Thanks Howard

Boys are usually more resistant to instruction ime. Sometimes that's an impediment to improvement and sometimes it's a protection from the goofy stuff we've all seen.

What I'm mildly curious about is, have you used game video when they didn't know they were being watched to confirm what's happening with their grip during game swings. I just made the grip discussions a low priority for me in terms of steering new parents away from stupid stuff and toward good stuff. Picking my battles in other words. Of course one of the big ones I steer parents to is Englishbey (another recommendation for Englishbey http://robocoach.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4368451 ). You and Boardmember and certain others seem to me to be huge positives in terms of what kids get taught so you don't see me much arguing with your stuff or Board though I may not agree with you on every detail.

 

[Mark H]

Weekly ask me to critique his hitting program session he presented in 2005 at the NFCA. I wrote him a 10 page hand written letter and he never responded and we sent it twice.

I remember him doing the quick hand toss and I was laughing as you could see the his girls in the film struggling trying to keep up with the person soft tossing and they were off balance and you could see the bottom half mechanics being reduce in lieu of keeping the bat moving. Then they were hitting a rubber tube about 15 to 18 inches in diameter suspended from chains and as they got to contact you could see the look of pain in their face as the bat came to almost a stop and then they tried to muscle the tube through contact. I was sitting near many coaches and we were all laughing at what the hitter must be feeling and thinking. I will not name the other coaches however he said out loud that is why we throw his kids inside and throw his kids change ups. He said everyone knows they are not allowed to swing at a change up unless they have two strikes.

Thanks Howard

My impression from afar is two things work out for him. One is, his emphasis on strong hip rotation. Two is, the intent to hit the ball hard. Given those two, I think the better athletes of his figure out the rest on their own and he takes credit. But then a LOT of that goes on in fp and bb. My thought on the Olympic team's hitting slump when he coached was a result of the drills and instruction he gave. After enough game reps the great athletes they are, they figured it back out again. But that may be fitting my pet theory and impressions on top of coincidental facts. Given his accomplishments, second guessing him seems impertinent I know but I have to compare what he says to video of elite hitters and my understanding of physics etc.

 

[Mark H]

Weekly ask me to critique his hitting program session he presented in 2005 at the NFCA. I wrote him a 10 page hand written letter and he never responded and we sent it twice.
Thanks Howard

By the way, I would have paid good money for a ticket to be in the room when he read your report detailing where you thought he was off track.