DD not a fan of HS coach

[Nimrod]

How are her results in games? As a coach the last thing I would want to do is mess with something that was working, regardless of how unorthodox it looks....a player can stand on her head in the batters box for all I care as long as she knocks the cover off the ball!

Unfortunately she hasn't been hitting too good. Not bad but well below what she normally hits and her confidence is pretty low right now partly because of coach and partly for other things. She's been feeling a lot of pressure lately for the attention she got for committing and the new expectations. I posted a while back about her having some performance anxiety that has cropped up. Then having a coach that doesn't relate well to her or teenage girls and players in general and who doesn't talk except to point out mistakes just makes it worse.

This is not the first time that a coach has questioned her swing. It's just the first time that she hasn't quieted them down with her results.

I also want to say that the hitting advice is just part of the reason for the post. The main reason was his comment yesterday that coaches can take away scholarships. What person who doesn't know her has the nerve to say something like that at a time when she's already feeling insecure? That is borderline abusive given her mental state right now.

 

[rdbass]

DD is not hitting much in HS ball. She's a sophomore. She has committed to a college team.

The main reason was his comment yesterday that coaches can take away scholarships.

A sophmore can 'commit' to a college. I just thought verbal as a sophomore.

 

[Nimrod]

A sophmore can 'commit' to a college. I just thought verbal as a sophomore.

That is right. She is a verbal commitment. I'm just using the coach's choice of word on scholarship or maybe he said take away the ''offer.'' I am getting story second hand from DD and now it's third hand.

 

[djcarter1966]

Well you could reassure her that when the coach recruited her she had that swing, so she does not have to worry about her swing; just remind her everyone has slumps every now and then continue working hard and it will come around. I know that is always easier said than done but even so she needs to hear it.

 

[Nimrod]

Well you could reassure her that when the coach recruited her she had that swing, so she does not have to worry about her swing; just remind her everyone has slumps every now and then continue working hard and it will come around. I know that is always easier said than done but even so she needs to hear it.

To DD's credit she did tell him that her college coach has seen her swing many times and likes it. The college coach knows DD's hitting coach and they are on the same page. I agree about the slump pep talk. If this were a tournament of 5 games, she would forget it quickly. But in this way high school is like college, like 1 game at day. So you have to sit with your slumps longer and it's more likely to get mental.

 

[let it be fun]

That is right. She is a verbal commitment. I'm just using the coach's choice of word on scholarship or maybe he said take away the ''offer.'' I am getting story second hand from DD and now it's third hand.

Nice to see that your DD believes that the second part of verbal commitment means something. If can be tough to keep.your confidence up when all the feedback is negative. Sometimes a move in the batting order can help. Hitting in the #1, #3, and #4 spots can be a lot of pressure and a girl just needs a change.for a few games. I saw a huge difference in a #3 who led the team two years in a row in hitting but struggled junior year. Some positivity and a move to the #2 spot where she could bunt and move runners made a world.of.difference between her ears and helped her get her confidence back. It was nice to see her old swagger at the plate! A move down in the order can also help girls a lot if it is done with positivity.

 

[rdbass]

DD is not hitting much in HS ball. She's a sophomore. She has committed to a college team.

This is a new school. The head coach is new. He frequently tells her not to dip her shoulder. He nags her about it. It might be that she's tilting too much, I don't know. But she does not believe in level shoulders. She has to be tilted at contact.

Anyway, the nagging does not work. In DD's mind, the only feedback that this coach gives her is criticism.

So today, he tells DD while hitting off a tee that she's dropping shoulder. DD tries to explain what she believes is the ideal contact point with the ball with tilted shoulders. The coach according to DD says something like ''I just want you to know because your college coach could take away your offer because of that swing.''

How far out of line was that?

Just trying to help here:

So today, he tells DD while hitting off a tee that she's dropping shoulder.

Maybe coach is pointing out when your DD drops her (rear)shoulder. Not so much the 'dropping' of the (rear)shoulder. A hitter doesn't want to 'drop(rear) shoulder then swing. The swing 'drops' the rear shoulder, dependent of the pitch height. Higher pitched ball less dropping/tilting of the rear shoulder.

Good hitters drop the back shoulder.
Poor hitters drop the back shoulder.

What is the difference?

Good hitters' drop DRIVES their swing.
Poor hitters' drop then swing.

Good hitters' barrel speed is DURING THE DROP.
Poor hitters' barrel speed is AFTER THE DROP.

Good hitters drive DOWN to the ball....upon which their barrel turns up.
Poor hitters drop then drive UP THROUGH the ball.

Might be something to have a look at....maybe not.

 

[Nimrod]

I hear what you're saying, Rdbass. Coach may in fact be seeing some of that although I think he has a shallow understanding of that whole process since he also believes there should be little or no tilt at contact. But the bigger problem is the constant criticism with no encouragement.

 

[BobInMadison]

I hear what you're saying, Rdbass. Coach may in fact be seeing some of that although I think he has a shallow understanding of that whole process since he also believes there should be little or no tilt at contact. But the bigger problem is the constant criticism with no encouragement.

^^^^^^^^^

This is a huge factor in what makes someone a good coach, a good parent, a good spouse, a good manager, etc.

Think about it. People like to be appreciated. People like to know that the hard work they've done has been noticed.

Trust me on this one: a teenage DD will occasionally roll her eyes the zillionth time you tell her what a great kid she is. But, she hears you. She notices.

 

[Ken Krause]

Nimrod, keep this in mind: a college coach could pull an offer from a verbal commit at any time. But it's extremely unlikely the coach made that offer if he/she didn't like such a major component of your DD's game. Odds are it's one of the reasons she got the offer in the first place, so the HS coach is just blowing smoke to try to get your daughter to do things his way.

It's unfortunate when all you get is criticism and negativity, but it's probably that this won't be the last time your daughter faces that. She needs to heed the immortal words of Coach Rick Nelson: you can't please everyone so you've got to please yourself. Sounds like she knows what she ought to be doing. Have her focus on making sure she's doing that, and do her best to shut the rest of it out. The hits will come and all will be right with the world. And the coach will proudly tell everyone about how he "fixed" her swing once she started listening to him. (Can you tell I've seen this before?)

One of the reasons to play HS ball for a girl who wants to play in college is to check that box for the college coach so it doesn't bring up any questions. Remind your DD she's already past that point. Just go out and enjoy the game.