She actually hit the WHOLE bucket last night!

[Chris O'Leary]

adjusting up-down with early batspeed (90 degrees earlier in this case) is by "rearward tilt" and "weathervaning" (up down adjustment of lead arm and shoulder slaved to arm) the way Epstein explains it.

Very different from "anterior" tilt over plate/bend at waist method of adjustment.

I agree.

Good hitters adjust via anterior tilt. Rearward tilt causes swing plane problems.

 

[obbay]

Now that she's getting the bat on the ball, have her soften her knees and do it.

I'm thinking if her face was in the strike zone she was
a) bending over too far
b) crowding the plate
or
c) all of the above.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

Although I appreciate all that you guys do and am fully aware that much of what you say is true and should be seriously considered; I don't know what you are trying to fix with this kid, you haven't seen a video or a pic of what she is actually doing, only a description of a parent (rec coach) who doesn't know what she is looking at (sorry stephanie)

 

[Ken Krause]

Agree with Coach-n-Dad. We have no idea what being bent over at the waist means. Or what her stance looks like now. I'd want to see that before making any suggestions on what she should do.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Although I appreciate all that you guys do and am fully aware that much of what you say is true and should be seriously considered; I don't know what you are trying to fix with this kid, you haven't seen a video or a pic of what she is actually doing, only a description of a parent (rec coach) who doesn't know what she is looking at (sorry stephanie)

I have seen this...

...repositioned her stand to upright...

...advice and wording many times before and it has never yielded the high-level pattern.

 

[stephanie]

I shall then clarify... ( and I REALLY do appreciate the comments!)
DD stands about 6 inches from plate. Close enough that she doesn't have to extend her arms to hit the ball.
Last season, she batted .714. ( it's 10U rec...)
Friday night, she struck out three times.
During most of the called strikes, she stepped out of the box like she was going to get hit. ?? When questioned, that is what she said: "I thought they were going to hit me." She has NEVER been HBP. (lucky schmuck) So why the sudden fear?
Took her out to a field to pitch to her. She sets her feet, takes a practice swing, and then bends over so far that I was aiming for her nose. I asked "Is this how you were batting Friday night?" (alztheimers....) "yeah..."
BINGO
So I explained to her that the reason she thought she was going to get hit is because she put her face in the strike zone. "Straighten up!" I say.
She does, and then makes the ugliest face EVER. "I can't hit like THIS!"
"no duh, ya dork!"
So we wiggle it a bit, she finds the more straight up stance, where her shoulders are over her toes, not the edge of the plate. And I pitch one...Bam!
And another. Pow.
I finish the bucket, and she didn't miss a single ball. (well, okay...there was that one that was WAY over her head) AND...she never stepped away from the plate.
I don't think anything got broke. I don't think she's cured. I definately don't think she's the prime example for hitters her age.
BUT...she hit every ball, she was totally pumped, she found her confidence again, and she said she couldn't wait to play Saturday.
I'll let ya know what happens...

 

[SBFAMILY]

Read Hitters post on how we measure off from the plate. This is important for young girls such as her.

 

[stephanie]

Just wanted to let you know, she only had ONE at bat last night (good pitching game) and crushed one just left of center field, rounded first, came back to the bag, and was BEAMING!
It was awesome....

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

Very nice, congratulations to your DD!

 

[Ken Krause]

Excellent! Sounds like you made the right correction.