Daughter Steps Out

[obbay]

Sounds like a confusing weight shift.
I agree with Mark and the "go with no stride for awhile" plan.

A lot of top level hitters do nothing more than raise their heel anyway.

My youngest DD thinks she's Willie Mays at the plate but we're going to work on that after the season.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Holly, Normally, you wouldn't put any object there that the batter might sprain an ankle on. Really, all you need is a towel.

 

[Hollyrockartist]

Ah, I'll have to pass that along. Thankfully, my dd isn't one of them! However, the ones who did have the habit have now stopped. I did hear from a parent of a competitive child the other day that their coach makes the girls stand in a bucket full of sand. Said he'd have them step into the bucket and then fill it up while they were at the plate. Thinking on the sprain situation - that, too, I think could cause some problems, especially when they are a younger age group. Just glad my dd's form at the plate is great!

 

[Fastpitch Trainer]

IzzysDad,

I might suggest another solution. If you can help keep her body in balance, you may fix the stepping in the bucket issue.

I'm guessing that when she is stepping towards 3B, that her hands are either already moving toward the pitcher or are beginning to.

You may be able to fix the stepping out issue, by distracting her with her hand movement away from the pitcher and she begins to step. What you're dealing with here ir probably fear more than mechanics. No matter the information you give her or work on, if the fear takes over, she's going to step out. She'll probably even find a way to step out with no stride.

If the hands are making a move back during the stride, and we're getting a little resistance that way, the front foot can't make as drastic a move away from the pitcher. It sounds like her legs are making an action to move away from the center of her body, but the hands need to do so as well. If you can get her hands to work back, and cause a little inward turn of the shoulders, I bet things would balance out.

This may be a more productive way to work with a child. She's probably getting frustrated with being told she's stepping out, so give her something new to try. Her body will make new habits that will fix this.

 

[Izzy's Dad]

IzzysDad,

I might suggest another solution. If you can help keep her body in balance, you may fix the stepping in the bucket issue.

I'm guessing that when she is stepping towards 3B, that her hands are either already moving toward the pitcher or are beginning to.

You may be able to fix the stepping out issue, by distracting her with her hand movement away from the pitcher and she begins to step. What you're dealing with here ir probably fear more than mechanics. No matter the information you give her or work on, if the fear takes over, she's going to step out. She'll probably even find a way to step out with no stride.

If the hands are making a move back during the stride, and we're getting a little resistance that way, the front foot can't make as drastic a move away from the pitcher. It sounds like her legs are making an action to move away from the center of her body, but the hands need to do so as well. If you can get her hands to work back, and cause a little inward turn of the shoulders, I bet things would balance out.

This may be a more productive way to work with a child. She's probably getting frustrated with being told she's stepping out, so give her something new to try. Her body will make new habits that will fix this.

I don't think it's a fear issue. Her new stance has her left foot lined up with the left front corner of the plate. So, really, she is crowding the plate more than before. When she swings, she steps back and out to line up with the pitcher now.