Olivia, 11 Years Old or: "Another season down, another season of random swing mechanics during each at bat"

[Work=wins]

Do you mean he's showing the right things but giving the wrong reasons/descriptions?

Yes.

 

[Shawn]

Back pocket to pitcher is gotta be one of my favorite cues.

The front back pocket or the rear leg back pocket? I like the rear back pocket, not allot, just enough of screwing into the ground, and the backside creating this action.

 

[clemenslee1]

The front back pocket or the rear leg back pocket? I like the rear back pocket, not allot, just enough of screwing into the ground, and the backside creating this action.

Rear back pocket, it allows younger player understand that it's the lower half not a arm/hand. Initiated action. Although currently my DD even with that cue is in a habit of using the arms to try and initiate it. It creates problems. She does it right off of the tee, but during front toss it kind of falls apart. It's almost like she is trying to reach back for more.

 

[OsDad]

Would it be absurd to suggest that maybe just telling her to get the knob of her bat pointed at the catcher before launch might help her get closer to a good load? I understand that a kid might just tilt the bat and not really put their body in a better position but DS has always been a very good hitter, without much instruction, and that cue seems to largely get him into a better position without needing much else.

The reason I haven't really tried it with her is because they are very different in terms of general awareness and understanding "feel". I think some of it is attributable to his natural predilection to "hit stuff real hard" (I've found, after coaching both baseball and softball, that as a rule, violence comes more natural to boys lol). It seems like his body naturally finds it's way into positions that generate power and create leverage, whereas the entire idea is foreign to her and makes me want to pull my hair out trying to get her to understand.

Maybe I just answered my own question about why it wouldn't work for her (and maybe doesn't work for a lot of girls, at least when they're young)...

 

[clemenslee1]

Would it be absurd to suggest that maybe just telling her to get the knob of her bat pointed at the catcher before launch might help her get closer to a good load? I understand that a kid might just tilt the bat and not really put their body in a better position but DS has always been a very good hitter, without much instruction, and that cue seems to largely get him into a better position without needing much else.

The reason I haven't really tried it with her is because they are very different in terms of general awareness and understanding "feel". I think some of it is attributable to his natural predilection to "hit stuff real hard" (I've found, after coaching both baseball and softball, that as a rule, violence comes more natural to boys lol). It seems like his body naturally finds it's way into positions that generate power and create leverage, whereas the entire idea is foreign to her and makes me what to pull my hair out trying to get her to understand.

Maybe I just answered my own question about why it wouldn't work for her (and maybe doesn't work for a lot of girls, at least when they're young)...

That suggestion was one someone else gave me. I thinks its partially my fault, because for a while in the beginning when I fist came DFP I really focused on separation with her., Needless to say I did not have a correct understanding of how that is accomplished. Basically she has it ingrained that its a reaching back with the hands to get more separation, when in reality they do not have to reach back for anything. The straightening becomes more pronounced when launching, but its starts up stream from that. Proper loading of the back leg and hip as you gain ground will in itself cause the separation needed.



Moral of the story make sure you really understand it before teaching it.

 

[OsDad]

... Proper loading of the back leg and hip as you gain ground will in itself cause the separation needed.

What I'm wondering is for a girl who can't understand how it feels to load the back leg/hip properly, she might do it accidentally by using those movements/muscles to get the knob in that position (like DS seems to do), instead of just moving her hands back (what I worry about Olivia doing). I guess it's a coin toss. Maybe it's a better idea to at least attempt to get her to feel a proper load before trying a shortcut like that.

 

[clemenslee1]

What I'm wondering is for a girl who can't understand how it feels to load the back leg/hip probably, she might do it accidentally by using those movements/muscles to get the knob in that position (like DS seems to do), instead of just moving her hands back (what I worry about Olivia doing). I guess it's a coin toss. Maybe it's a better idea to at least attempt to get her to feel a proper load before trying a shortcut like that.

Some may agree or disagree. If I was to do it over knowing what I know now, I wouldn't place any emphasis on the hands, knob, or arms. I would try and present it in a way that emphasizes more as a body movement. Moving as a unit.

Everything of the upper and lower half catcher side of the body works as a unit coiled moving forward to produce what you see at the launch position. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[Swingscience]

Your daughter never gets into a stable, athletic base when she lands. She is way too linear with way too big of stride. This prevents her front foot from applying pressure to the ground, which should trigger her hip turn. And comt8 is with the sequence up. shorten the stride and think more rotational and less linear And it will help her rotational sequence move from the ground up - hips, torso, lead arm, bat.

 

[bobbyb]

Love her presence too! OsDad...I would be interested in knowing what you have chose to do with her this off season and how your going about it.