Where to start w/ raw Freshmen

I usually start with the feet. Get a good base and build upward. Put them in good positions to hit.

Agree 100%! Begin with a solid base.

Ditto. Work from the ground up first. After this, really like batspeed.com for proper role of the upper body and hands.

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
I usually start with the feet. Get a good base and build upward. Put them in good positions to hit.

Great advice here. The reasoning is because there are many mistakes in the upper half of the swing that can be partially caused by improper lower half mechanics. I do remember early in my coaching days I'd see soooo many problems with young hitters that I tried to fix everything at once.

Best advice given to me a decade ago was to work on one or two related problems at once, then move on (working from ground up). All the while reviewing the previously taught techniques so they become automatic.

Good luck, I know how you feel regarding working with freshmen!

Just remember they are freshmen boys! Not the smartest guys in the world. Take little steps with them and try not to do to much.

A lot of these kids will have natural abilities, as a coach that's what we want to look for and build those abilities.

Lefty

All good advice.

Also, keep in mind that some kids have to fail before they open their minds. Sometimes backing off is a good strategy. "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."

BaseballByTheYard

I guess I'm confused about "lower half". How hard is it to just "step and twist"?

I video almost every HS game for pitcher son so we can analyze hitters.

Most 9th/HS hitting problems are upper half. They throw their hands way too early, twist their shoulders level, and/or armbar.

The very first step to fix this is to recognize the cues and drills that you might use that promote this behavior, then stop doing it. (2 tee drills, "hands to the ball", "extend", "don't drop your shoulder", etc.)

Patience, patience, patience. All hitters have their own natural swing. Some are closer to a good baseball swing then others. Some are a total wreck, these swings have got them through LL baseball playing on short fields only to be exposed when moving up to the bigger fields. The hitter has to be willing to take themselves out of their comfort zone to gain better hitting mechanics. Its a long journey to get to a good swing and an even longer journey maintaining that swing.

Make sure you focus on one flaw at a time and keep focusing on it until it is corrected. Don't even mention the other flaws besides the one you are working on, because you don't want the player to seem overwhelmed. Also, make sure you remember that each player as a unique swing and that you can't make a cookie-cutter baseball player. I'm sure you already know this, but sometimes we all forget sometimes Besides that, I agree that you should start from the feet up (unless there is an issues with eye contact on the ball or bailing out of the box). Cheers!

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Make sure you focus on one flaw at a time and keep focusing on it until it is corrected.

Never do this....The swing is the swing...There are not parts to it!

I feel most players have way to much Mechanics instruction and not enough "See the Ball Hit the Ball" Vision Training. check out our training and try and implement something similar if you do not have one of our locations close to you. At that age I see so many kids that just do not track properly from the release all the way through to the catcher.

quote:

Originally posted by High-Tech Vision Training of Tennessee:
I feel most players have way to much Mechanics instruction and not enough "See the Ball Hit the Ball" Vision Training. check out our training and try and implement something similar if you do not have one of our locations close to you. At that age I see so many kids that just do not track properly from the release all the way through to the catcher.

I'm not going to plug your Business but I do agree that tracking the baseball correctly is too often overlooked.

If you've ever hunted birds or learned to shoot skeet, then you probably know that improvement in tracking and anticipating where the object will be at impact is an acquired skill. Thus, it can be practiced and improved.

"you can't hit what you don't see (well).

The four most basic "Core Fundamentals" to being a good hitter are these:

1. SEE THE BALL!!! (Focus and concentrate on the target you are trying to hit... The ball.)
2. GOOD TIMING!!! (Have good timing and rhythm with the pitcher and within your swing sequence.)
3. GOOD BALANCE!!! (Have good dynamic balance and athleticism through the swing.)
4. AN EFFICIENT BAT PATH!!! (Have a path to and through the hitting zone that gives the most consistent quality impact on the ball.)

The finer details of the swing and hitting a ball all fall within these core fundamentals. Before criticizing your swing start at number one on this list. Master seeing and focusing on the pitch. Then work on the swing.