Teaching the "Auburn Hop"

[gdc03120]

I've given this a lot of consideration over the past season or so, especially since my infield is a little lax in their movement, but has any coach ever taught their infield to use the "Auburn Hop" in the fielding process? I feel like it would give my girls a little boost of energy before each pitch, but I'm worried that when they return to playing HS ball, they'll either be told NOT to do it or will be afraid to do it because of my program vs. theirs.

Have any coaches taught this to their teams? Any successes/issues? Suggestions on how to teach it properly if so (aside from the YT videos the U of A program puts out)? Or is it not worth it and other techniques or skill-and-drill are better-suited to get a sleepy infield to field more aggressively?

(This is a 16U rec-level program for clarification. We play from mid-May through the end of July/early August)

 

[clarity]

Show them some tennis clips of return of serve. More times than not when I see teams doing it, they're doing it too late. They're still in the air when the ball is hit. Obviously, that's not a good thing.

 

[robertc3]

I have taught a hop for years with good success. The timing is key. They need to hit the ground just as they know where to go for the ball. If they are too early or too late the advantage is lost. Have them practice it on every day rolled grounders and on batted infield or outfield practice. They need to find the right timing for their height of hop. It doesn't have to be a big hop and it needs to land them in the correct ready position for their defensive position (lower at the corners, higher in the middle infield, higher still in the outfield).

The split step used in tennis return of serve is a good example. That was more what I did as a player. It was never taught to me, that was just how I could react fastest.

 

[Towny9]

This is what we use in the infield exclusively. A key teaching point is making sure their feet are in the air when the ball hits the bat. Most young kids do it to soon and land too early and stall out - defeating the entire purpose.

 

[clarity]

 

[Gags]

Show them some tennis clips of return of serve. More times than not when I see teams doing it, they're doing it too late. They're still in the air when the ball is hit. Obviously, that's not a good thing.

I once again can't remember where I read it or saw it, but I recall reading / seeing / hearing that you are actually supposed to be in the air at contact, to allow your body to start turning / moving before you hit the ground. I don't know if there's been any sort of study on this, but I have seen video of tennis players and a few infielders showing them "in flight" when the ball is struck.

That being said - I'm still leary of teaching that method, and try to time my own prep step so that I'm landing AT contact (right when the [rusted] "springs" that are supposed to be my legs begin to contract).

I'm still at the point where if I can get the girls moving at all, it's a win.

 

[Towny9]

In the air is correct (preferably on the way down). The reason is to eliminate the “false step” that we all take when we read the swing. The step that takes us in the wrong direction. You can’t take a false step if your feet aren’t on the ground.

here’s a compilation video of different players hopping at different levels. Some players (Pedroia) liked to hop high, but I prefer the smaller hops in these videos. This will help the folks who think it’s crazy to have your feet in the air at contact realize it isn’t that dramatic.

 

[GhostRider82]

Matt Antonelli does a pretty good job of explaining here (starting around the 1:40 mark) why the read on the ball happens on the way down, before the feet land.

 

[gdc03120]

On the University of Auburn's YouTube page, their infield coach states they want their girls at the top of their hop just as the batter makes contact so it eliminates the "false step" most infielders would take. It's around the 0:17 mark in this video link.

My primary reason for asking - my girls, inexperienced as they have been/shown at times, tend to not explode fast enough from their positions toward basic ground balls. I thought that introducing this next year/season to them would help encourage them to be lighter on their feet, more active when a ball is hit, and keep them moving vs. being caught flat-footed and tripping over their own shoes. As I said previously though, I have concerns I teach them this initially, then their HS coaches tell them NOT to do it because of one reason or another, and I don't want mixed signals to cross them up.

Auburn Softball: How to Hop

 

[texasck1]

On the University of Auburn's YouTube page, their infield coach states they want their girls at the top of their hop just as the batter makes contact so it eliminates the "false step" most infielders would take. It's around the 0:17 mark in this video link.

My primary reason for asking - my girls, inexperienced as they have been/shown at times, tend to not explode fast enough from their positions toward basic ground balls. I thought that introducing this next year/season to them would help encourage them to be lighter on their feet, more active when a ball is hit, and keep them moving vs. being caught flat-footed and tripping over their own shoes. As I said previously though, I have concerns I teach them this initially, then their HS coaches tell them NOT to do it because of one reason or another, and I don't want mixed signals to cross them up.

Auburn Softball: How to Hop

I would look at it the other way. Teach them and they have another tool in their belt. If their HS coach doesn't want it, they still have that skill.