touchy subject

Uh oh! Red flags went up for my son the minute fall practices began his freshman year in college. His "coach" decided he was going to change EVERYONE'S swing---told the entire team he wanted ground balls---to swing DOWN on the ball, rather than through it. Team batting average after that season: Mendoza line! End result for my son (recruited by buckets of schools BECAUSE of his swing)---said "adios" before his sophomore season began. I believe one of Ted Williams' maxims was something on the order of: You don't mess with it if it works for you. I don't know what advice to give you---my son's coach was on a Napoleon "my way or the highway" trip. My son took the highway -- but he still has his sweet swing...

Is this heaven?...

Boy does this problem sound familiar! We have been down this road a number of times ourselves. Sometimes I think coaches feel they aren't doing their "job" if they aren't trying to improve on something. Anyway, after a few of these instances, we told our son to just nod his head in agreement and be polite when the coach tried to "change" his swing....then basically to "forget" it and go with what works for him. I hate the idea of ignoring instruction from a coach....but sometimes you just gotta do it! We just drummed in the fact to our son to be polite and respectful. Don't know if this is "good" advice or not....but it is how we handled situations like this.

Now you all know the reason my son is ONLY a pitcher ...


H-mom
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
We learn a lot from crayons:
some are sharp; some are dull; some are pretty;
some have weird names; all are different colors.
And they all have to learn to live in the same box.

Agree with luvbb. Don't disagree with the coach. Just keep performing well with your previous good mechanics, and they will be happy. Confrontation doesn't work well. Realize they will be happy with a good result.

Your son should talk to the coach first. He can just approach it from the angle, I'm confused, I thought I had a good freshman year and now my numbers are down, maybe...

Highlandermom,

Because no pitching coach has ever wanted to "tinker" with a pitcher's mechanics? LOL

Bob,
Head cook and bottle washer around this place

2nd basemom,
My son (like most) went through four years of this in high school. He made it and still likes his coach.

Two things stand out in your post. Number one: you assume you have a right to HELP the coach with your son...

quote:

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How do I go about telling my sons high school coach to leave his swing alone?

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I'm sorry but you don't have that right in high school. You will embarrass your son and the coach could ask you to leave.

Number two: Player NORMALLY don't hate coaches.

quote:

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he ended up with a 280 batting average and HATED his coach.

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Parents hate coaches. But I have seen players emulate parents in a situation like this because it removes blame for a poor performance from the player and places it on the coach.

You (your son) does have options.

Your son ignores the coach. Not really.. but high school coaches don't spend lots of time giving individual instructions so the brief time he spends with your son will have little influence on his swing. Your son ignores the instructions (but not in front of the coach). The coach has to move on to the next player

If anyone discusses your son's hitting with the coach it has to be your son. Have your son ask his hitting instructor how to handle the situation. Maybe he can help.

Some people will move to a different school to avoid this situation. This tends to be a universal problem, and avoidance is difficult. Kinda like mosquitoes.
Fungo

Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.