How to Help a Girl Who is Freezing At the Plate?

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Feb 10, 2018
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NoVA
Hopefully I am posting this on the right forum. Am looking for any drills or tips to help a girl on our LL team (12U). She is 11 and is playing LL Majors this spring for the first time. I believe she also plays for a local 10U B-level travel team. Anyway...

This girl looks decent in the box and in the batting cage at BP. Right handed batter. Average size girl for her age. Decently athletic. She has a tendency to be late. Lot of stuff getting fouled off to the right side. In games, she will start out having a decent at bat. Laying off bad pitches. Swinging at good ones (even if not making contact). When she gets behind in the count, and definitely when she gets to two strikes, she seems to just “lock up.” Will just watch good pitches go by and strike out looking. Gets very upset with herself, crying, all of that.

The head coach and I are not yellers (other than of encouragement) and the environment is supportive. We do not run girls down or get on them for mistakes or striking out, etc. My question is what are the most effective ways you’ve found to help a girl that is striking out looking too much and losing her confidence in the process? My own view is that she is thinking too much at the plate—I think that is part of the reason she tends to be late too. I think she is having a debate with herself on every pitch or even a silent debate with the umpire about the strike zone. I think she needs to do less thinking and more hitting. But I assume others have run across this. What worked for you?

Thanks.
 
Nov 8, 2018
774
63
Hopefully I am posting this on the right forum. Am looking for any drills or tips to help a girl on our LL team (12U). She is 11 and is playing LL Majors this spring for the first time. I believe she also plays for a local 10U B-level travel team. Anyway...

This girl looks decent in the box and in the batting cage at BP. Right handed batter. Average size girl for her age. Decently athletic. She has a tendency to be late. Lot of stuff getting fouled off to the right side. In games, she will start out having a decent at bat. Laying off bad pitches. Swinging at good ones (even if not making contact). When she gets behind in the count, and definitely when she gets to two strikes, she seems to just “lock up.” Will just watch good pitches go by and strike out looking. Gets very upset with herself, crying, all of that.

The head coach and I are not yellers (other than of encouragement) and the environment is supportive. We do not run girls down or get on them for mistakes or striking out, etc. My question is what are the most effective ways you’ve found to help a girl that is striking out looking too much and losing her confidence in the process? My own view is that she is thinking too much at the plate—I think that is part of the reason she tends to be late too. I think she is having a debate with herself on every pitch or even a silent debate with the umpire about the strike zone. I think she needs to do less thinking and more hitting. But I assume others have run across this. What worked for you?

Thanks.

Something that helped get my daughter aggressive was this.

You are swinging unless it’s a ball - mentality. Assume it’s a strike till it’s not.


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Mar 6, 2016
383
63
it is VERY common with the 8u group.

My oldest, now 16 and played Travel for a few years...way back in 8u first time ever playing in local Rec league, started ok, then bang, she got hit by a pitch....spent the next 3-4 weeks standing like a statue and never swinging. Scared and just wanted the AB over with. We tried various things and just as her Dad, one of the most frustrating, mind boggling things to try and figure out. She just wouldn't move/swing.

we tried the "you gotta swing" approach and nothing... So, along with teaching my players all aspects, that included bunting from an early age. So, I gave her the bunt sign one game.....and she did it.... perfect bunt...safe at first. 8u they have no clue how to defend a bunt. So now she's happy she was successful and on base.

Next at bat, let her hit again.... nothing...stood there like a statue. IF it became coach pitch after 4 balls, then she would swing when I pitched, but if was against a girl pitching...no swing.

So, I had her bunt again...safe again on the bunt. It became a way for her to slowly break through the fear or whatever.

I had her bunt for a couple games, maybe 3 and then had her swing away after about 3 games and then finally BOOM...she let loose with the swing she used to have before getting hit. something about bunting and having success got her through the fear of standing in there and swinging.

I have no clue why it worked or why she broke through. But she started hitting again and had a great first year 8u and All Stars, and on into travel and HS...but man those 3-4 weeks of nothing ..you never would have thought it.

Bunting worked for my DD...try everything...something will work.
 

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