My DD has a private hitting instructor who does not use video. I tape her at home and look at slo-mo to figure out what issues she is having and to show her what she is doing, which I find extremely helpful. Hitting coach does not use and therefore I feel does not have a true understanding of what she need to work on. I even offered to film during lesson for her, but she wasn't interested. In this day and age, I can't imagine a coach NOT using video. What are your thoughts?
Should Hitting Instructor use Video?
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I am always supprised how fast a coach can pick up on things, when you see a bunch of different players every day working on X I guess it makes sense.
I would not care if a coach used video.
The importance of video is to show the player what they can improve on, not for the coach to look at and analyze.
(No love for my post?)
I would not care if a coach used video.
The importance of video is to show the player what they can improve on, not for the coach to look at and analyze.
(No love for my post?)
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I believe that coaches and instructors today should use video. If not, they may not be keeping up with current instruction and methodology and are ignoring an extremely valuable tool that is readily available to them. And video is a great, great tool to see what is really happening.
However that doesn't make them a bad instructor necessarily, but it is worth talking about. Alternately using video doesn't mean they are a good instructor either. I would be more concerned in making sure they are teaching good technique (and this is a good site to make sure they are up on current thinking).
My DD's hitting coach asks us to send him video of her at-bats during games and also once per month he videos her during her lesson and they go through it in detail.
Pitching coach wants much the same except she uses video every lesson.
If hitting coach pitches to your DD then I would say yes. If someone else pitches as HC watches your DD swing (from the side) then I would say no. I like to video tape hitters (DD) during live/game swings just to see how DD really swings. Maybe your hitting coach doesn't have the time nor the interest to view video. I always felt I had the time and interest to be my DD's hitting coach.
"I am always supprised how fast a coach can pick up on things, when you see a bunch of different players every day working on X I guess it makes sense."
My dd started with a hitting instructor last Sunday. She did two girls at a time, and the very first thing she had both do was hit a bucket of balls of a tee. She said prior to them starting that she will watch, and not say a word during the first bucket. My dd, and another girl on her travel team so I know how both hit, and the flaws in their swing. I do not coach DD at all, or even give much suggestion any more, as all it does is lead to arguments. She has struggled greatly facing high school pitching. She is a sophmore, but experience wise if a freshman, due to missing a year of playing ball. This coach picked up and caught every flaw that I had noticed on both girls immediately. An experienced instructor can just see things quickly. If she would not have noticed the things, I would really have not had much faith in her, but she did. We go back this Sunday for number two.
Also agree completly that video should be taken and shown to the hitter so they can actually see for themselves what they are doing that the instructor is trying to correct. This instructor says she does use video, but later on in the instruction.
My dd started with a hitting instructor last Sunday. She did two girls at a time, and the very first thing she had both do was hit a bucket of balls of a tee. She said prior to them starting that she will watch, and not say a word during the first bucket. My dd, and another girl on her travel team so I know how both hit, and the flaws in their swing. I do not coach DD at all, or even give much suggestion any more, as all it does is lead to arguments. She has struggled greatly facing high school pitching. She is a sophmore, but experience wise if a freshman, due to missing a year of playing ball. This coach picked up and caught every flaw that I had noticed on both girls immediately. An experienced instructor can just see things quickly. If she would not have noticed the things, I would really have not had much faith in her, but she did. We go back this Sunday for number two.
Also agree completly that video should be taken and shown to the hitter so they can actually see for themselves what they are doing that the instructor is trying to correct. This instructor says she does use video, but later on in the instruction.
I am not terribly interested in taking video during a lesson. I am interested in seeing video of my pupils when they are hitting in games. If their parents are taking video of their at-bats, I use it in the instruction.
My biggest use of video, other than showing girls what's up during their game at-bats, is to show them what really good swings look like with video of great hitters. I compare them to the pupil's own video and it often helps them see what I am trying to get at. It also helps with their homework.
i am humble enough to say that things happen very fast in a swing, to fast for me to pick up on things that i should see. So my answer would be that I, ME, would need to video, games and lessons to give the student my full efforts.
Good for you if you can see the pitcher, the hitter, and all the intricacies that exist in the swing at full speed.
Good for you if you can see the pitcher, the hitter, and all the intricacies that exist in the swing at full speed.
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I don't use video every lesson, but I definitely like using it. And not just during the lesson.
I like pulling the video out when I'm away from teaching and looking at it to see what's there. I can often find things to work on or improve that didn't necessarily show up during the lesson.
I will say as a long-time instructor I can see things most people can't. Parents are sometimes surprised at what I can see in real time, although I tell them that's what they pay me for. Still, I don't kid myself thinking I can see everything.
Sometimes the video helps the player understand. Other times it doesn't. They get what's going on but it doesn't mean they can change it just 'cause they saw it. That still takes an instructor to figure out why they're doing it, especially if it's something odd, and how to get them to stop. Some days are better than others for that.
I like pulling the video out when I'm away from teaching and looking at it to see what's there. I can often find things to work on or improve that didn't necessarily show up during the lesson.
I will say as a long-time instructor I can see things most people can't. Parents are sometimes surprised at what I can see in real time, although I tell them that's what they pay me for. Still, I don't kid myself thinking I can see everything.
Sometimes the video helps the player understand. Other times it doesn't. They get what's going on but it doesn't mean they can change it just 'cause they saw it. That still takes an instructor to figure out why they're doing it, especially if it's something odd, and how to get them to stop. Some days are better than others for that.
Thanks Ken. it helps me tremendously as a parent and I think helps even more that she can visualize her swing for herself.
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