getting frustrated

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes, you make sense.

While they are doing dry swings at home, they need to be doing them in front of a mirror or a window, where they can see their reflection.

Also, have them try to hit fungo. They shouldn't be able to drop their hands, during that drill.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Working with dd and a group of her buds. Work with them and they look decent doing some good things. Get to game time and they fall right back to all the bad habits. I work with them 2 times a week. I know I am not a miracle worker but I feel like I am hitting my head against the wall. I also know it takes time and reps to rid yourself of the bad habits. After the game I try to talk with them and they are very frustrated. I ask them if they think they are working hard enough at it. I know they don't do anything extra! They say they think they are?

So my question to you all is where do I go from here? Do I tell them to put in more time or I won't be able to work with them? What is realistic for me to ask of them?

Any help is apprciated!

What you describe can be frustrating. You seem to be taking the angle that it is the kid's fault. Another way to look at this is that your approach to teaching isn't working.

 

[krd005]

If I am only with them once a week to work with them isn't a majority of it on them to work on things we work on while away from me? I can only do so much. My dd is putting in more time than any of the others. She has had some good momnets but the others look no better to me in a game situation.

How many swings does it take to get rid of abad habit? 100 a day?

 

[crankermo]

Krd,

With my daughter we hit atleast a 1,000 balls a week for a good month. The key IMO was once she had a bad swing I grilled her on what it felt like. Once she understood the feel of a good swing versus the feel of a bad swing she took off. After 40 games this year she was our leading hitter @ over .500 with power. As my work schedule got busier I didn'thave time to help her for 2 wks and it showed bigtime. This week I've made time for her and she's right back on track and feeling really good.

Whatever you do, once they seem to get it don't take it for granted and quit working cause it will bite you in the you know what. I explained to my daughter she needs to help herself out when I can't by doing stuff on her own. It's an exhilirating feeling to watch them "GET IT", so stay the course and put in the time, cause it's well worth it.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Working with dd and a group of her buds. Work with them and they look decent doing some good things. Get to game time and they fall right back to all the bad habits. I work with them 2 times a week. I know I am not a miracle worker but I feel like I am hitting my head against the wall. I also know it takes time and reps to rid yourself of the bad habits. After the game I try to talk with them and they are very frustrated. I ask them if they think they are working hard enough at it. I know they don't do anything extra! They say they think they are?

It could be that your drills aren't close enough to the real thing for the muscle memory to transfer over (e.g. you are doing the drills too slow).

For instance, drills like the matrix drill can help hitters understand concepts, and why some cues are problematic, but won't do much for a swing on their own.

What drills are you doing?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

If I am only with them once a week to work with them isn't a majority of it on them to work on things we work on while away from me? I can only do so much. My dd is putting in more time than any of the others. She has had some good momnets but the others look no better to me in a game situation.

How many swings does it take to get rid of abad habit? 100 a day?

What I take away from your posts is that your work isn't translating into the kid's game swings.

It's relatively easy to improve a hitter during a hitting session. It's much more difficult to get the improvements to stick to the point that they are used in the batter's box.

This is an area worth considerable discussion and study.

Some instructors tend to be much more successful than others in terms of getting kids to implement new mechanics into their game swings. Other instructors only seem to find fixes that work for a particular hitting session ... and while they think they are making improvements, the fact is that their work isn't being implemented long term.

I'm presently attending the 18Gold Champion's Cup tournament in CA. One team that impresses me is the Worth Firecrackers. The players are required to see particular hitting instruction ... and virtually every kid has very similar hitting mechanics ... both in terms of upper & lower body mechanics. Other than the slappers, every hitter has learned specific mechanics and brought them into their game swing. The implication is that the coach of this team has found a way to teach hitting mechanics in a way that allows the players to duplicate what is being taught. If folks know any particulars into how this team goes about teaching hitting instruction, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

 

[lclifton]

Five,
Tony Rico has clinics. He is a master at the mental side, having a plan, "staying calm in a stressful situation."
I've had several conversations with him. There were 2 Firecracker teams out there this past week.
I'm thinking this is the one you're referring to.

Softball Connection | Fastpitch Hitting, Pitching, Fielding

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Five,
Tony Rico has clinics. He is a master at the mental side, having a plan, "staying calm in a stressful situation."
I've had several conversations with him. There were 2 Firecracker teams out there this past week.
I'm thinking this is the one you're referring to.

Softball Connection | Fastpitch Hitting, Pitching, Fielding

Yes, the Firecracker team that impressed me was managed by Tony.

Tony was able to have several of his batters demonstrate a high degree of commonality. While a frequent complaint of instructors is that they can't get a kid to take what they 'learn' in BP into the batter's box, Tony appears to be have figured out a way to get his preferred mechanics to be used in the batter's box. I'd like to learn more about his approach.

I'd also like to learn more on the topic of promoting the concept of "staying calm in a stressful situation".

 

[PEPPERS]

I feel your pain.

I tell kids up front what it takes to improve a poor swing I suggest 300 correct swings a day, as many as possible with a mirror or a parent or someone who knows what to look for and make corrections, slow swings, dry swings, off a tee, soft toss, front toss, pitching machine and finally live pitching, this is suggested as a slow progression. I tell them it takes 1,500 swings to improve a flaw in the swing, 3,000 to fully correct it.

During a game my advice is to track it and whack it. Don’t think too much as reaction needs to be from instinct, when you over think you almost always will be swinging late.

Success is slow to come; the ones who take the advice to heart you will see little improvement the ones who do not it becomes more evident as time goes on. The old Adige you can lead a horse to water, but can’t make him drink is sure true here.

As the muscle memory sets in you see more and more of what you are teaching in the game swing, or the ones who work at it. You can have the best hitting coach in the world, but one must practice what is preached.

My experience is that few are willing to pay the price.

 

[lclifton]

Yes, the Firecracker team that impressed me was managed by Tony.

Tony was able to have several of his batters demonstrate a high degree of commonality. While a frequent complaint of instructors is that they can't get a kid to take what they 'learn' in BP into the batter's box, Tony appears to be have figured out a way to get his preferred mechanics to be used in the batter's box. I'd like to learn more about his approach.

I'd also like to learn more on the topic of promoting the concept of "staying calm in a stressful situation".

Five,
Staying calm was what he gave to me during a conversation,--- in a stressful situation, in this case, meant while in the batter's box. I don't know his specifics (teaching) on this. Same thoughts could be while fielding in a close game, for example. Part of his "mantra", (and I don't pretend to know all about his teaching) is reaction. Calm, in a stressful situation, seems to translate thru to his team. If they are calm, they react better, make solid decisions. He has been very gracious to me --- with his time.