Tell coach upfront

[Bullseye]

After seeing the writing on the wall with travel ball coaches hit and miss knowledge we took hitting into our own hands.
By getting our own hitting instructor.
This has been working for our three dd's to navigate the journey in softball.
This advice may sound strong handed but it works. Advice you can take it or leave it. This is what we have done.
After finding a reputable hitting instructor
when considering accepting a spot on a new team telling team coach we have a hitting instructor with this statement
Coach your feedback will be listened to and we will take your comments to our instructor. Thats it.
When we implemented this conversation it stopped the confusion from coaches interpretation screwing with our dd's thinking process.
Let the coach know if they want dd on their team this is our plan.

How we came to find a great instructor. Took lots of initial research on who we may select. Then using first lesson impression being our test sample. Were upfront with each instructor that we want to see first if good fit. After going to watch a couple lessons not impressed. Then finding a couple to pay for first lessons one was a maybe. We decided one more instructor evaluation. Which turned out to be a connection that has been instrumental to our dd's.
Research and taking time to go see whats being taught was well worth it. Best thing for dd's to get an impression first befor selecting the instructor.
Finding a reliable instructor with a softball resume with long term results became invaluable foundation for hitting.
The instructor is a D1 all american hall of fame player who has passed on years of experience at the plate.
After our eldest dd made her college choice reaching her D1 goal looking back the instructor was more than a hitting resource because of her longevity in the sport was able to provide insights to what was to come at the next level and prepair our dd for it.

 

[krazykat]

I think this is a wise move. Most coaches would accept this situation and understand that one effective hitting coach is better for a player than conflicting instructions from multiple coaches. My daughter was always frustrated from multiple people telling her how to hit (high school coach, TB coach, dad's at the batting cage). I quit giving her any instruction after the age of 12. I just would pitch front toss to her and let her do her thing.

 

[Nimrod]

If I was the coach, I'd say 'fair enough, thanks for the heads up.' I'm 2-3 years removed from travel ball, coached it for 4-5 years, spent the rest as a parent in the stands observing. Lots of time wasted by team coaches attempting to coach hitters who aren't going to change because they have their own private coaches (or parents). Coaches must either accept that, or take only players that are agreeable to their hitting style. This isn't because team coaches don't know hitting. Many know more than private hitting coaches. But it's unhealthy to have a player nod and ignore her team coach, so let's get it all out in the open.

 

[Strike2]

Not bad advice. In my situation, DD's well-regarded hitting coach, the HC, and myself have all been on the same page for years. I think I've learned at least as much as DD by just watching her lessons. When working with older players during team BP, I'm looking for effectiveness, but l'll tell them what I'm seeing when there's a noteworthy flaw. I stay away from the well intended but often complex and confusing language that I find here. I'm not going to rework a 17/18yo's swing during a team practice, but I did enjoy the reaction of one with a very flawed approach telling me about her hitting coach with me knowing that she sits near the bottom in every offensive category.

 

[Towny9]

As a long time high school head coach I always respected when a parent was upfront with me about having a private coach. I was always up front with them by saying “since I won’t be coaching their hitting, when they slump I won’t try to coach them through it I will just put someone else in for them”.

that’s the big difference between private instructors and head coaches. Private instructors don’t have to try to win games.

I have a different approach with our 10U team than I did with HS baseball, since it’s about development and only development. High school was about winning and development.

 

[radness]

Agree tell coach upfront!
Nice also that it was suggested let coach know you will take feedback to hitting lesson. Keeps coach in the loop! Also can connect what the instructor responds with.
Shows hitter is working on addressing feedback!

 

[quincy]

I left kids alone that had a batting coach. I understand you sometimes need to go backwards to go forward but IMO some of the players went to a bad hitting coach. Said my piece to parent and let it go. We need some players in the dugout just in case.

 

[GoGamecocks]

My daughter just finished her second year of 16U, and the expectation is that every player on the travel team have their own batting instructor, and every skilled player (i.e. pitchers and catchers) should also have a coach for that. Coaching around here seems to be 90% game management.

 

[Cannonball]

Nice post by the OP and good luck to the DD. I do want to make a comment. I was once in the position of having a couple of players who had their expert. However, I really question their expert. Did I say I really question their expert? I let the parents know this. I went along but told the parents that if their dds didn't produce they would not play. You can guess the rest. Of course I was to blame in the long run because I coached all of the other hitters but didn't coach theirs.

 

[Towny9]

Nice post by the OP and good luck to the DD. I do want to make a comment. I was once in the position of having a couple of players who had their expert. However, I really question their expert. Did I say I really question their expert? I let the parents know this. I went along but told the parents that if their dds didn't produce they would not play. You can guess the rest. Of course I was to blame in the long run because I coached all of the other hitters but didn't coach theirs.

This ^^^