Same with my DD.Winter indoor workouts with parents working the hitting station.Had hitting coach walking around instructing the girls.Destroyed my DD swing also by having 5-10 different parents "instructing" her on how to "fix" her swing that I thought was fine.Took half of the season and the help of this forum to get her swing back to where it was in the fall.Becareful with who is instructing your DD or DS always keep learning and studying.
Hitting coaches' philosophy beyond hitting mechanics
- Thread starter kgertie
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Softballfreak, thanks for your input. So would you elaborate? At what point do your students, once they understand and use the swing process you teach, not utilize your services anymore? Do some continue for the reps and game situation until they graduate? until they get it? We have gone to numerous clinics and a few hitting instructors since we started softball 10 years ago. At clinics with the number of students instruction is very general focused on the major components of the swing. Lessons in my opinion focus more on the little things to fine tune. That has been our experience. Consistency I think is important which we have lacked due to the old school teaching of local coaches.
Maybe I am missing an obvious point possibly that those seeking hitting instructors need help with their swings and their is a flaw? I like to use instructors to fine tune the smaller points and if DD is struggling to help identify a part of the swing that, at the moment, is not working for who knows what reason. Do you have clients who come to you religiously every week, every other week, during the season, off season, once a month and what is the most common thing they seek? Maybe I have a off view of what the true purpose of hitting instructor is for short term v. long term? Thanks again for the response.
rdbass and ivys dad: I understand your frustration. We were on a 14U travelball team a couple years ago that the coaches were convinced that my daughters swing was horrendous and from day one worked on changing her hitting back to level swing, etc... She was a horrible hitter by the end of that affiliation. Especially with my daughter, she then believes she cant hit so then not only do you have to work on the mechanics of the swing but also get her out of the mindset that she sucks which is often harder than the mechanical side.
Maybe I am missing an obvious point possibly that those seeking hitting instructors need help with their swings and their is a flaw? I like to use instructors to fine tune the smaller points and if DD is struggling to help identify a part of the swing that, at the moment, is not working for who knows what reason. Do you have clients who come to you religiously every week, every other week, during the season, off season, once a month and what is the most common thing they seek? Maybe I have a off view of what the true purpose of hitting instructor is for short term v. long term? Thanks again for the response.
rdbass and ivys dad: I understand your frustration. We were on a 14U travelball team a couple years ago that the coaches were convinced that my daughters swing was horrendous and from day one worked on changing her hitting back to level swing, etc... She was a horrible hitter by the end of that affiliation. Especially with my daughter, she then believes she cant hit so then not only do you have to work on the mechanics of the swing but also get her out of the mindset that she sucks which is often harder than the mechanical side.
The more I read I agree with you kgertie that H.Carrier had a hitting technic that was easy to teach and understand.I have been rereading all his old post hard though without the video to go along with what he is teaching.Wish he (Hitter) would post again because me and my DD are just getting started.
Howard doesn't have video. I won't go into the reasons he won't post on here. He and Crystl are going to do a clinic in Hi in a few weeks. The students I work with come back for what I call tune ups. My dd even goes to Howard a few times a year to get a different look at her swing. Many have high school and travel ball coaches that mess with them for many of the reason posted above. We try to teach them how to show these coaches why we teach them to feel and measure everything we tell them. Some have succes , others don't. It depends on the coach they have to deal with. Each has been told by Howard and many of us that work with Howard, respect the coach, because they put together the line up.
I had a 13U player last night that is one heck of a hitter, come and tell me she is going to play up at 15U next year , just to play for a coach that won't mess with her swing. Sad , but many have not changed the way they teach in years, nor do they want to take the time to learn.
I had a 13U player last night that is one heck of a hitter, come and tell me she is going to play up at 15U next year , just to play for a coach that won't mess with her swing. Sad , but many have not changed the way they teach in years, nor do they want to take the time to learn.
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I have learned that I could hit but I didn't know how I hit.There are many good posters on this forum and I have learned alot.Seems I keep going back to reread hitters old post and straightlegs(they seemed to be friends)I like the way Howard explain things.I wish I could get some of the info he has posted.Just a dad trying to get my DD to the next level which is Highschool in another year.It's her goal to make Varsity.
Do we have twins that were separated at birth?
It's like you're describing the last four months of my life.Possibly but I recall only giving birth to one child but maybe I missed the second one. LOL.
My daughter is her toughest critic. She is finally at a point where she understands her swing mechanically, is comfortable with her swing and is getting solid results from her swing. I wish she could have been at this point at 12 or 14 instead of 16 but it is what it is.
I like SB Family's description of Tuneups. Do you believe that is the norm for private lessons? In my experience, not just tuneups but removal of the engine/dismantling of the vehicle/overhauls seem to be done much more often in the coach/team setting with a different hitting philosophy regardless of how well a hitter is hitting. I have now seen both in the private hitting lesson setting.
Hitting instructors and coaches have such a huge impact on the girls' swing and mental outlook in softball. There is just a small window for softball in a young lady's life. To have a different hitting philosophy (but the most widely accepted and commonly taught philosophy in our area) thrown at you while being told you have to change everything about your swing to be successful is impossible to reconcile when you are 10, 12 and 14 years old.
My daughter is her toughest critic. She is finally at a point where she understands her swing mechanically, is comfortable with her swing and is getting solid results from her swing. I wish she could have been at this point at 12 or 14 instead of 16 but it is what it is.
I like SB Family's description of Tuneups. Do you believe that is the norm for private lessons? In my experience, not just tuneups but removal of the engine/dismantling of the vehicle/overhauls seem to be done much more often in the coach/team setting with a different hitting philosophy regardless of how well a hitter is hitting. I have now seen both in the private hitting lesson setting.
Hitting instructors and coaches have such a huge impact on the girls' swing and mental outlook in softball. There is just a small window for softball in a young lady's life. To have a different hitting philosophy (but the most widely accepted and commonly taught philosophy in our area) thrown at you while being told you have to change everything about your swing to be successful is impossible to reconcile when you are 10, 12 and 14 years old.
I'm glad to hear there is hope. My DD is 13 YOA, and seems to be on a very similar path. It's always nice to hear others have gone through similar experiences.
