Great hitter in practice but not in games. HELP!!!

[redhotcoach]

When I can tell there is a lot of tension before a game. I get the girls talking about anything but the game. I come in the dugout singing one of there new lady gaga songs or something else that gets them laughing. Just trying to get the mood for having fun. Ask them "what are we going to play?". Correct answer is "a game, and games are made to be fun.".
Then a buzz kill assistant or parent will always say something like "watch the pitcher girls, she is really fast, you'll have to swing quick." I get so sick of people saying "watch the pitcher". There going to see how the pitcher throws. Do parents and coaches think they are doing their job by saying "watch the pitcher."

 

[theaddition]

Oh and yes, I know my stress is not helping her. My husband said it's up to her, you can't do it for her so when she decides to relax and hit the ball, she will. She went from 4th in my lineup to last. It's so sad.

Here's a little trick I used 2 years ago when my DD was swinging so hard w/so much tension in her body that see was breifly closing her eys and grimmacing at contact, or more aptly, lack of contact (swing and miss).
After viewing a still photo of King Albert, I noticed he sung with his tongue out. I asked myself why?
I tried it myself and noticed that I couldn't really swing unless I was tension free. If I swung all musclely, I bit my tongue
and it hurt. My DD practiced her swing and kept her tongue out while she swung and it solved the tension problem.
Tension start up top, head/face, and works its way down.
After a few weeks, and with no mention by me, her tongue from that point on remains in the mouth.
She no longer has a problem with being too tense, and she was the Queen of tension.
Locate a photo of Pujols and you'll see the tongue position I am refering to.
On a related note, we tried the A-Rod exhale as you swing and the "say a word" as you swing, but tongue out as you swing
is far easier and requires very little thought. Try it out for yourself. I can't fully flex my biceps without bitting into my tongue when it is out and between my teeth.
I hope this helps,

 

[Briscos]

I am the coach and yes I do move them around. The line up is different every game. We play tomorrow night and I told her she's batting last thinking that would give her some motivation to calm down and hit the ball. I have no clue if it will work. I'm just gonna give her the have fun, it's just a game speech and hope that helps. I didn't wanna coach her b/c I have for 3 years and she plays better for others as alot of kids do. We know she has it in her and that she can do it but she just has a mental block right now. And thanks for the advice. It's nice to know somebody feels our pain.

 

[Briscos]

I think it's a little of both. The live arm is new to her and she worries about me being disappointed in her. I told her not to worry about me, to do it for herself. We'll see how she does tomorrow night. She has 7 more games to get it together. I am praying she comes around. I want her to get her confidence back for HER!

 

[Briscos]

Thanks for the tip. I will try that with her today. I tried to flex my biceps with my tongue out. LOL!!!

 

[barlowjames]

If I swung all musclely, I bit my tongue and it hurt.

I would second this. Keeping your mouth open is something I learned many years ago as a power lifting technique to keep you relaxed and focused thru the movement. Never tried it with the tongue, but I'm also an adult and can keep my teeth from clenching without doing that.

It would also have the added benefit of making the girls laugh and relaxing a little more as well.

 

[texas4life]

Just as most the post have been saying I agree with the no thinking. My niece is in 12U and for years now when ever she gets in slumps I reminder of two things 1. Stop thinking so much and just react. 2. have fun on the field. I have told this to many girls i have been around on the field softball is a reaction sport and its very easy to make this game hard by over thinking so stop thinking open your eyes and just react.

For the fear and the timing soft toss is the best thing. She will be able to develop her timing and recognition on balls and strikes. Also positive reneforcement works when she swings at balls or strikes out as they get older you can be louder and more up front about it. I try to turn it into a joking style for example I tell my niece that im gonna beat her with her bat if she swings at another high ball which im smiling the whole time so we laugh about it but she gets the message.