Help!!!!

[Brittney Alexander]

My daughter has been playing softball since she was 5. She has always been a great hitter. Her older sister wanted to get pitching lessons, and she pitched a fit saying that it wasn't fair. So, I decided to get her hitting lessons. DUMB DUMB DUMB!!! The lady had her all over the place, thinking about things she, in my belief, she is too young to understand. She only went 5 times, but boy did that do damage. She started doing funky things with her hands and lost confidence at the plate. She still connects but it is not the line drives we are use to. What do I do????? She has been dropping her hands. I know this hitting coach that works with an 03 team and they are all out of this world hitters. I don't know if I should bring her to get back on track or not. He emphasizes the front leg straight, back leg bent....I was looking at pictures of her hitting BEFORE SHE EVER SEEN THIS HITTING COACH AND SHE NATURALLY DID THAT. I feel like I have ruined her confidence. She does NOT swing like this anymore. Any help/guidance would be wonderful. Should she have a hitting coach if she naturally did these things before ?? Now, she can't b/c she is thinking too hard about it??? Also, if she is going to play serious ball...should she have a hitting coach from here on out? Does every tourney ball player have a hitting coach? Has your daughter seen a hitting coach when she already was great at the plate???

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This video is her first time seeing hitting coach. If you notice, she starts doing funky stuff with her legs b/c lady is telling her?! She was hitting line drives. After this lesson, she went WAY DOWN HILL! AND WASNT EVEN CONNECTING!!! SHE WAS SEVEN AT THE TIME. NOW, SHE IS 8.

 

[rdbass]

Wow, I hope this is her swing after the hitting lessons. If this was the before pic, she didn't need a hitting coach. She looks good in the pic, video would be better. How old is DD, I see you said 5 ? She's not broke. Let her hit on her own. Sometimes you can coach the natural hitting ability right out of them. I posted before you posted her age. 8 time to sell her bats she's done. I'm joking, waiting for video to open up. Will see the after swing.

 

[redhotcoach]

Can't see video

 

[redhotcoach]

"emphasize front leg straight and back leg bent"
Yes , most high level hitter have a front leg that ends up straight and back leg that ends up bent, BUT just emphasizing that is missing the why.
The front leg: it stops the forward movement and energy that is created by pushing forward on the inside of the back foot. The front leg is firm, not straight, when catching the energy. Then the front leg pushes back on the front hip, this is where the leg becomes straight. Picture sending energy from your back foot to your front leg, your front leg pushes back against the energy and sends the energy up the leg into you hips. The energy becomes rotational and travels from the hips to shoulder to hands. When I talk to my team girls about it, I talk explain it and tell them to use tai chi type visuals in their mind. A bright fire ball of energy is created by pushing of the ground. The body chains that energy into throwing/whipping the barrel through the ball.

The bent back leg: IMO this happens after the back leg has already done it's job of creating energy and driving it forward. It is the effect of the swing, not something to try for.

 

[quincy]

No instruction, just go hit balls for a while and the stuff you do not like will get out of her head. Hit, hit and hit some more and let her natural ability come out.

After she stops thinking and is just a hitter again decide how you want to go forward.

DD is a good hitter but I am going to be looking for a HC for her this offseason. I have learned the hard way to stay out of her way but I know she can be better with the proper instuction.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes, you can certainly coach the hitter out of a young girl. I see it routinely.

See if she can go to a team practice or two with a group of young girls that are enthusiastic and having fun.

Keep us posted.

 

[Brittney Alexander]

It is before pic. She insisted!!! She thought it wasnt fair b/c sister was getting pitching lessons. AHHHH!!! Did the video work for you???

 

[Brittney Alexander]

Can you see it now??

 

[Brittney Alexander]

I think that is what I am going to do. Thanks so much!! I just hope it comes back!!

 

[Brittney Alexander]

can you see it now????