My DD has is on a pretty decent 12u softball team. It's a relatively new team, but he has really brought them along nicely since the fall. When the fall started, I kept thinking, "Wow, this is going to be a LONG season!" But by the time they finished their last fall tournament, they were a force to be reckoned with. I give him props for that! I honestly didn't think they would come along so quickly.
This coach is also a paid hitting instructor for MANY players in the area, both baseball and softball players. His high school girls really crush the ball and several have "all-state" honors. We just moved to this area in August and DD had been going to a hitting instructor where we used to live and has always had a good form and hit the ball well.
We decided that we would use this coach to continue her hitting instruction for two reasons. 1. Because he is her current head coach. 2. Because his students really do hit the ball well.
He stated all through the fall that he was glad to have DD on his team and he really liked her hitting. We went to two or three lessons with him and on the third lesson, I finally had a chance to go in and really pay attention to what he was teaching and I cringed. He was totally trying to change everything she had been taught by a top notch hitting instructor. The thing that really got me was when I heard him tell her to "squash the bug"......
There's another place we could take her to receive hitting instruction that teaches the same way she had been taught previously. We did give it a try and she was definitely more comfortable and seemed happier overall.
Here's the dilemma...... I want to take her to the "other" place where she's comfortable and they are building on what she already does, but how do you tell her current head coach "thanks, but no thanks" without jeopardizing the relationship that's been built? He's really not an easy guy to talk to, but we do like the way he coaches the team on the field.....just disagree with the way he teaches hitting.
DD is currently the #1 pitcher and bats in the clean-up spot. I have heard of other coaches that get pretty political and will favor the private-paying students. I'm hoping this guy is not that type of guy, but being so new to the whole area, I don't know that much about him other than his teams are very successful.
BTW.....changing teams is not an option because there just aren't very many travel ball teams around this area. Changing teams would mean driving 3-4 hours one way for practices two to three times per week, and we just can't do that at this time.....not for 12u. I'd be more willing to do that if she was playing in 14's or higher, but she's a first year 12u player.
I look forward to reading any advice you guys can give us on this.
This coach is also a paid hitting instructor for MANY players in the area, both baseball and softball players. His high school girls really crush the ball and several have "all-state" honors. We just moved to this area in August and DD had been going to a hitting instructor where we used to live and has always had a good form and hit the ball well.
We decided that we would use this coach to continue her hitting instruction for two reasons. 1. Because he is her current head coach. 2. Because his students really do hit the ball well.
He stated all through the fall that he was glad to have DD on his team and he really liked her hitting. We went to two or three lessons with him and on the third lesson, I finally had a chance to go in and really pay attention to what he was teaching and I cringed. He was totally trying to change everything she had been taught by a top notch hitting instructor. The thing that really got me was when I heard him tell her to "squash the bug"......
There's another place we could take her to receive hitting instruction that teaches the same way she had been taught previously. We did give it a try and she was definitely more comfortable and seemed happier overall.
Here's the dilemma...... I want to take her to the "other" place where she's comfortable and they are building on what she already does, but how do you tell her current head coach "thanks, but no thanks" without jeopardizing the relationship that's been built? He's really not an easy guy to talk to, but we do like the way he coaches the team on the field.....just disagree with the way he teaches hitting.
DD is currently the #1 pitcher and bats in the clean-up spot. I have heard of other coaches that get pretty political and will favor the private-paying students. I'm hoping this guy is not that type of guy, but being so new to the whole area, I don't know that much about him other than his teams are very successful.
BTW.....changing teams is not an option because there just aren't very many travel ball teams around this area. Changing teams would mean driving 3-4 hours one way for practices two to three times per week, and we just can't do that at this time.....not for 12u. I'd be more willing to do that if she was playing in 14's or higher, but she's a first year 12u player.
I look forward to reading any advice you guys can give us on this.
