My 15 daughter batting...any thoughts, advice and/or pointers needed

[Crystal Brown]

I am not a fan of just putting the foot down. I am not talking about being linear v. rotational as a philosophy (so please don't start an argument), but the kids with that no stride style tend to over-rotate, and pull the ball. The bat leaves the zone too early, and they 'fall' on their heels sometimes. They have trouble with curve balls and outside pitches.

I like them to have more extension towards center field, more plate coverage, and be freer with the front foot. You would never play tennis and say, 'don't move that front foot' to hit the ball. I am not saying move it all over the place, but there is freedom to the swing if the foot is lifted slightly, or brought from open to even (or picked up with a high leg kick, as you see in college, although don't recommend that for young ones). She is almost trying to lift it! They also tend to be better at getting to low pitches if freer. Me personally, I can't time my swing with that style, it feels like I am weakly throwing the bat, so I don't know how they do it...

We have tried to get her to stride but she had a tendency to overstride, looking like she was almost in a split and it threw her timing off. I know her front leg load looks weird and we have had gotten other coaches to look at it and they pretty much say that it is fine, while it is not the idea way, it works for her. While she have no problems with the curve or outside pitches, I do see her struggle with the low pitches. If a strike goes by her, it is the low pitches or a change up. As far as batting goes, she only struckout twice the entire JV season but a high percentage of them didn't make it out of infield.

 

[Seattlecoach]

She needs more seperation with her hands and front leg. I can imagine she can't get much bat speed/power with how close her hands are starting to the ball.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

How much extension are people looking for?

When extension is described as a byproduct of what happens upstream, are they speaking of pre-contact extension or post-contact extension? If pre-contact extension, what exactly is it believed to be a byproduct of?

 

[rdbass]

How much extension are people looking for?

When extension is described as a byproduct of what happens upstream, are they speaking of pre-contact extension or post-contact extension? If pre-contact extension, what exactly is it believed to be a byproduct of?

My turn now?
OK..

This hitter swings 'around' not 'out from' her body.

So if FFS shows correctly that this hitter gets to extension post-contact than all is good.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

How much extension are people looking for?

When extension is described as a byproduct of what happens upstream, are they speaking of pre-contact extension or post-contact extension? If pre-contact extension, what exactly is it believed to be a byproduct of?

My turn now?
OK..

This hitter swings 'around' not 'out from' her body.

So if FFS shows correctly that this hitter gets to extension post-contact than all is good.

RDB, it is still your turn. You haven’t answered the questions above.

Also, you gave an example of what you considered a good RHD. Was the extension in that RHD example greater than what we see here in this kid’s swing? I don’t believe it is. The poster is concerned about extension. You gave an example of a drill in which the extension isn’t very good. In addition, you described extension as being a byproduct of what happens upstream … yet you weren’t clear on what those upstream actions were … or if you were speaking of pre-contact extension or post-contact extension. Feel free to clarify what it is you mean.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

How much extension are people looking for?

When extension is described as a byproduct of what happens upstream, are they speaking of pre-contact extension or post-contact extension? If pre-contact extension, what exactly is it believed to be a byproduct of?

My turn now?
OK..

This hitter swings 'around' not 'out from' her body.

So if FFS shows correctly that this hitter gets to extension post-contact than all is good.

RDB, it is still your turn. You haven’t answered the questions above.

Also, you gave an example of what you considered a good RHD. Was the extension in that RHD example greater than what we see here in this kid’s swing? I don’t believe it is. The poster is concerned about extension. You gave an example of a drill in which the extension isn’t very good. In addition, you described extension as being a byproduct of what happens upstream … yet you weren’t clear on what those upstream actions were … or if you were speaking of pre-contact extension or post-contact extension. Feel free to clarify what it is you mean.

RDB, if what you posted as a good example of the reverse-top-hand-drill includes the upstream actions leading to a quality extension, then why does the demonstration lack quality extension?

 

[Crystol Owens Brown]

I am interested in what other people think she needs work in order to be able to be in a line-up on TB? Last TB team she played on, she wasn't even in the batting line-up. So, first goal is to get her to a point where she can be an asset to another TB team...that way when she decides she is ready to tryout for another team, she will be ready.

 

[Shawn]

I think we have an issue with form vs function. Her swing is decent, not to say she can't learn a few things. I think taking a tee out to a field and seeing how far she can hit or well she can hit line drives while focusing on using the large muscles (hips/upper legs, torso) might help. Trying to swing with different effort levels, more focus on using the center, energy in and energy out. Trying to focus on the big muscles powering the swing.

 

[djcarter1966]

From a layman's perspective I think the separation thing is not as big a deal as what she does instead of separate. Because she is so still it is hard to pick up but it looks like she has an all back and all forward motion, her heel comes up and this is my biggest issue her hands instead of being still or going straight back actually reach behind and she wraps the bat behind her head. Then she begins her forward motion bringing the heel down at letting the hands go together. It's all feel and timing, maybe just a simply cue like keep the bat straighter up and down would help letting her go back instead of wrap around, then hold for a millisecond let her heel come down then let everything go...disclaimer I am not an expert by any stretch.

 

[Crystol Owens Brown]

I think we have an issue with form vs function. Her swing is decent, not to say she can't learn a few things. I think taking a tee out to a field and seeing how far she can hit or well she can hit line drives while focusing on using the large muscles (hips/upper legs, torso) might help. Trying to swing with different effort levels, more focus on using the center, energy in and energy out. Trying to focus on the big muscles powering the swing.

My daughter is a beast hitting it off the tee...she can place the ball where she wants deep into outfield or line drive. For some reason, when she is soft toss or live pitched, her bat speed seems to slow down in mid-swing. The only time she hits it hard is against fast pitchers or off the machine at 50+.

What are some drills or visual points to help using the large muscles more effectively? The reason I am asking is that I will be able to explain to my daughter in a way that she may understand.
Thanks for the input.