With all this practice, it's got to be the mechanics that are being taught. Are you teaching them to swing down and hit the top of the ball ??
Practiced all Winter: Play same Teams, Hitting Down
- Thread starter Screwball
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I think the girls absolutely need to be shown and taught correct mechanics.
yes- slow pitch is completely different, but there is a definite dichotomy out there between linear and rotational philosophies when it comes to fastpitch. Girls/teams that are taught to swing down and hit the top of the ball with very quiet hips will always have a rougher time being successful than those who are taught rotational mechanics -- using the feet, legs and hips to gain torque, and swinging on plane with the pitch. This is what the best college programs do, and this is what MLB players do-- There are no linear hitters left in MLB (and for a reason).
Softball pitches generally cross the plate at an angle between 5 degrees down (perhaps more for a good drop ball) and 2 degrees up (for a good riseball). Why players are being taught to swing down as much as 45 degrees to meet the ball escapes me. It is a recipe for ground balls if done correctly (very difficult because the contact zone is incredibly small) and pop ups if the bat arrives at the ball even a nanosecond early. IF you see a team or a player popping up alot, watch their bat path. I can guarantee you the bat head is travelling downwards (much like a slice backhand in tennis), with the result that the ball skips off the bat and goes up into the air with a ton of backspin. Even balls that make it to the outfield will float on the air (and be caught) due to all that backspin. Additionally, these players will have very quiet, slow, and hence weak lower halfs becasue they have neve been taught the idea of torque that is evident for example in good golf swings and tennis strokes.
PS-- Obviously, in slow pitchpitch, hitters swing up becasue the ball is coming down, and hence to hit the ball square you need to swing upwards. The same philopsophy should apply in fast pitch-- ball comes in at 3 degrees down, to be on plane and hit the ball square the bat needs to travel 3 degrees up----- and dont you want your girls to hit it over the outfielders head in fastpitch ??? What's wrong with that ?? Especially with 200' fences and advanced composite bats........ do we really want to teach them to hit grounders ??? (exception obviously for slappers). Dont know about you, but I want to teach them how to hit the ball squarely and hit hard line drives......
yes- slow pitch is completely different, but there is a definite dichotomy out there between linear and rotational philosophies when it comes to fastpitch. Girls/teams that are taught to swing down and hit the top of the ball with very quiet hips will always have a rougher time being successful than those who are taught rotational mechanics -- using the feet, legs and hips to gain torque, and swinging on plane with the pitch. This is what the best college programs do, and this is what MLB players do-- There are no linear hitters left in MLB (and for a reason).
Softball pitches generally cross the plate at an angle between 5 degrees down (perhaps more for a good drop ball) and 2 degrees up (for a good riseball). Why players are being taught to swing down as much as 45 degrees to meet the ball escapes me. It is a recipe for ground balls if done correctly (very difficult because the contact zone is incredibly small) and pop ups if the bat arrives at the ball even a nanosecond early. IF you see a team or a player popping up alot, watch their bat path. I can guarantee you the bat head is travelling downwards (much like a slice backhand in tennis), with the result that the ball skips off the bat and goes up into the air with a ton of backspin. Even balls that make it to the outfield will float on the air (and be caught) due to all that backspin. Additionally, these players will have very quiet, slow, and hence weak lower halfs becasue they have neve been taught the idea of torque that is evident for example in good golf swings and tennis strokes.
PS-- Obviously, in slow pitchpitch, hitters swing up becasue the ball is coming down, and hence to hit the ball square you need to swing upwards. The same philopsophy should apply in fast pitch-- ball comes in at 3 degrees down, to be on plane and hit the ball square the bat needs to travel 3 degrees up----- and dont you want your girls to hit it over the outfielders head in fastpitch ??? What's wrong with that ?? Especially with 200' fences and advanced composite bats........ do we really want to teach them to hit grounders ??? (exception obviously for slappers). Dont know about you, but I want to teach them how to hit the ball squarely and hit hard line drives......
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Total Control Balls Total Control Sports
another thread here: http://www.discussfastpitch.com/sof...9-amy-total-control-sports-ball-question.html
For pre-game warmups I used to do side toss into a net. Now I use both the 3.2" TCB balls and the 3.2" hole balls for front toss. You can use them in a limited area since they don't travel too far and you don't need to pitch from behind a net.
- Oct 25, 2009
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I went on the site to order a dozen but WOW, $120 a dozen?
- Jul 26, 2010
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They're twice as much as regular softballs and last 5 times longer. They are expensive, but when you consider that a dozen balls will help a kid hit much better then just buying them a $300 bat, it makes sense.
-W
-W
It took me several months, to get over the cost - and with Hitter constantly saying how good they are. So, I broke down and ordered the small balls, the whiffles and the golf balls. I can run every station that I want, just with these balls. I haven't drug a net to the fields, since I bought the TCBs.
Some parents want to interfere, with what I am teaching and they want softballs pitched to their DD. I use Juggs softies for that. I have had a dad, that was pitching for me, insist on just real softballs. I wasn't able to help his DD, because of the lobs, he was giving her. Oh, well.
Some parents want to interfere, with what I am teaching and they want softballs pitched to their DD. I use Juggs softies for that. I have had a dad, that was pitching for me, insist on just real softballs. I wasn't able to help his DD, because of the lobs, he was giving her. Oh, well.
- Jul 26, 2010
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- 0
If they insist on using real softballs front toss, have the tosser get down on one knee the same way you would use traditional wiffles, and essentially "throw darts" hard at the batter. This will put them in a position where lobbing is impossible. It's recommended that the tosser wear a batting helmet (if using real balls). I know some will say "well they need full motion to get their timing", but that is not true unless they're actually balls being pitched from 40/43 feet.
-W
-W
Another thing about machine pitch, toss drills or TCB balls. A lot of Coaches seem to think it is a race to get as many swings in as possible. Keep a good pace but do not rush the player. Like Amy said have a home plate, ideally a batter’s box too. Do not rush the batter; let them get in a good position to have a good swing. It is not a race.
- Jan 25, 2011
- 2,278
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Why do alot of coaches do this?The HC of dd's TB team likes this speed drill,I hate it the first time he tried it with my dd she was mad at him.She told him to slow down,because she wanted to get reset,he listened to her but,did it with the other girls.
Well, "quick toss" is fun for some girls - but it does go too fast for them to set up correctly. I don't mind if someone wants to do about 5 swings just for fun.
I do not have a problem with a parent throwing overhand to the girls. That has been effective for me for many years.
I don't know why some parents pay me to watch them coach their daughters, but they do. I can't get a word in. But, then, they want me to say how good their daughter is. Many come into lessons, with such bad mechanics, that I can't begin to fix them - at least not with only seeing them once a week and dealing with a parent.
I do not have a problem with a parent throwing overhand to the girls. That has been effective for me for many years.
I don't know why some parents pay me to watch them coach their daughters, but they do. I can't get a word in. But, then, they want me to say how good their daughter is. Many come into lessons, with such bad mechanics, that I can't begin to fix them - at least not with only seeing them once a week and dealing with a parent.
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