Need advice about dd's new travel team

[Greenmonsters]

IME there a lot more coaches out there that think they know hitting well enough to teach it than there are "pitching coaches". Unless you have studied and know hitting yourself, there's no way to know who's teaching right, wrong, better, best, or the same but different! Just because a coach is a TB or a HS coach or a former pro, high/low D# college player etc, or coached successful player X or Y, it is no guarantee that they know/don't know hitting or can/cannot effectively teach it. Buyer beware always holds true!

 

[Phathead]

I guess track record as a coach is the key. Like others mentioned if there are returning players crushing it and she's not then there may be some value to them. If it change for sake of change then some decisions to be made. Get them and hitting coach together is great option.

 

[quincy]

It can be hard to stand out there with your month shut for a couple hours.

All I ask is to explain to me want you want DD to do. HC vs me, I am going to win. DD spends more time with me then them.

 

[CMMom1740]

HC of our new travel team told me that he will attend one middle school game and one hitting lesson for each girl on the team. That way, he sees how her hitting coach instructs and they can have any needed conversation about adjustments or whatever. Makes me happy b/c neither DD nor I will have to play go-between. I think that's going above and beyond and was one reason why we ultimately chose this team over others.

 

[Legendsmom]

I guess that I am of the mind that if it's not broke don't try to fix it. I don't think we know yet if her swing needs to be changed. If she struggles then I have no problem with changes being made. Her hitting coach also has a very good reputation.


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[junkball]

I guess that I am of the mind that if it's not broke don't try to fix it. I don't think we know yet if her swing needs to be changed. If she struggles then I have no problem with changes being made. Her hitting coach also has a very good reputation.


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Couple of questions:

What age and level are we talking about? 8U, 18U? A ball, B ball? Where? You said "I don't think we know yet if her swing needs to be changed" - what level of play is she coming from and going to? How long have you been with the current instructor? What is their background and qualifications? Have you seen improvement since going? What is your DD's achilles heel when batting? Low and away, high and tight, off speed? Too many popups, too many weak grounders, too many strikeouts?

And lastly, what are the TB coaches qualifications? What has he/she accomplished? What is their track record, former players, retention of current players?

Now that I'm done with 20 questions (sorry) having some background is key in figuring out the answer.

 

[Legendsmom]

Wow! Lots of questions. Ok, she is 14, playing 1st year 16u. She was playing b level 14u and is now playing A level 16u so a big step up. She struggled with pop ups mostly. She wasn't hitting hard line drives which is why we started with her current instructor. In practice she is hitting line drives and seems to be improving her timing but she hasn't hit against live pitching a whole lot since she started with him. The little she has hit has been an improvement. I'm not doubting these coaches with her travel team are good. The girls were crushing the ball at the tryout which makes it harder to know what to do. I have been paying somebody good money for 3 months to make her a better hitter and her very 1st practice, her swing is being changed. The hitting instructor she is with is highly recommended and has good results. I just don't want her confused about what she should do.


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[junkball]

Wow! Lots of questions. Ok, she is 14, playing 1st year 16u. She was playing b level 14u and is now playing A level 16u so a big step up. She struggled with pop ups mostly. She wasn't hitting hard line drives which is why we started with her current instructor. In practice she is hitting line drives and seems to be improving her timing but she hasn't hit against live pitching a whole lot since she started with him. The little she has hit has been an improvement. I'm not doubting these coaches with her travel team are good. The girls were crushing the ball at the tryout which makes it harder to know what to do. I have been paying somebody good money for 3 months to make her a better hitter and her very 1st practice, her swing is being changed. The hitting instructor she is with is highly recommended and has good results. I just don't want her confused about what she should do.


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Well, it looks like she is pulling a Jeffersons and "movin on up" from B to A so congrats on that. If this is a true A level team, with a track record and coaches with a track record than you're in a tight spot. I would give the coaches a chance, if your DD came from a B level team and has been picked for an A level team, then they must have seen something in her that they think is valuable...Unless they are only saying they are A level, and are desperate for anyone who looks like they might be decent. No offense, but it happens a lot.

I would watch closely what the TB coaches do with your DD's swing, listen to what they are saying and then at her next lesson talk with the instructor about it. I don't know where you are, but in a lot of communities the A level TB coaches and the A level instructors all know each other or at least of each and respect each other. Maybe they can get together and figure out what's best for your DD. I would start there, with a "community" effort.

 

[Legendsmom]

Thank you and to be honest, she made the team for her pitching not her hitting, lol! She is a decent hitter but she's not crushing the ball. I like that advice, the problem is we are traveling for her to be on this team and her hitting coach is local. I think we will show her hitting coach what they are wanting her to change and go from there!


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[let it be fun]

I guess what I meant was I don't think they gave her a chance. I have been watching her hitting lessons and she has been hitting very well. I think they immediately saw she had a different style and wanted to change it. I don't mind her learning a different style but I also don't want to pay good money for lessons if it's not benefitting her either. She has only been with this hitting coach for a few months and hasn't had a lot of games to see her hit in since she has been with him. I would have liked to have seen a few live hitting situations before changing completely her swing.


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It can be frustrating to watch a coach change things if she has been working on things. However, at her age she should be able to compartmentalize the instruction and also compare it to what she is getting at her lessons. If she does not understand what her travel coaches are explaining or has questions she needs to ask. When we get new girls on a team I always ask if they have a hitting or pitching coach. I then ask them what they are working on with their coach. Sometimes terminology can be a little different and that can confuse girls. Sometimes I learn a new drill by asking a player what she is working on. Sometimes their coach is not very good.

If a coach is only telling a player what to do and not why, the player needs to ask why in a respectful way. I have found that girls take instruction much better if they understand why they are doing something. It also helps them make their own adjustments if they know why they are working on specific things.

If a girl is hitting the snot out of the ball I will leave her alone!