Coach seeks HELP!!

[CoachZee]

We worked all winter on hitting indoors. Had batting cage rental, indoor practices with plenty of drills, worked on some poor mechanics, had Steve E in for private lessons, etc. etc. etc.

We had to stop in early April because of high school ball. Because we are in the NE we started travel ball in early June right after the high school season ended but only had 3 outdoor practices because of the school season and the weather. Now they are in the middle of exams so weekday practices are impossible.

The team has gone back to their old hitting habits and almost the whole team is reaching for the ball. Its like they don't remember a thing we worked on all winter.

Travel ball pitching is better than the high school pitching so that doesn't help either.

I need some advice, words of encouragement, whatever. I'm frustrated and so is the team. I'm wondering if I'm over analyzing their swings with video and advice and have them thinking too much. HELP.

[ncsouthpaw]

It seems if they are reaching they are probably either getting disconnected or their timing is off. With the lack of practice time you describe, it may just be a matter of bp swings as much as you can until they get the timing back.

If practice time is still short, try golf ball size wiffle balls and break the team up into small groups, spread them out in the outfield or in a parking lot or where ever you can find, aways seemd to help us get in alot of swings in and you can throw those things pretty hard.

But, others on here know much more than I, good luck Coach.

[Jake Patterson]

We worked all winter on hitting indoors

Whose "We"?

[onbaseball]

Someone, I don't remember who, once said "overanalysis leads to paralysis" ... so first thing you may want to do is stay away from the video for a few days and follow the "Keep it Simple, Stupid" strategy for the kids.

Next time you are able to take BP, make all the kids bunt the first three pitches down the first base line; this will force them to watch the ball a little longer. Then tell them to try and hit every ball on a line to right field for the rest of their swings (obviously, have the lefty hitters do the opposite with both the bunts and the swings). This should get them to sit back and wait a little longer on the pitch, and hopefully help out with the reaching.

Once it's game time, give them one goal: see the ball and hit it back through the pitcher ... that's it, no other words regarding their hands, feet, etc.

[ragweed]

Most of the time when we struggle it has something to do with pitch selection. We work hard on our approach and we talk a lot about hitting good pitches.

As you struggle you get even more inclined to chase crap early in the count and find yourself living in a pitchers count. At least thats what I see in decent hitters. My weaker ones will take incredible pitches in the middle of the plate and end up the same place.

Talk about approach. Attack good pitches and the hits will start to come.

[Mark H]

Zee,

This is normal. When you have driven down the same road for years, the ruts are deep and without constant monitoring and reinforcement, the hitter slides back into the old ruts...at least until the new ruts are pretty deep and or the hitter understands where the new path is and why it's different. This is why it's huge to turn 13 with efficient ingrained mechanics. Just do the same thing you did last time to get them back to efficient swings, rinse and repeat. No one ever said it would be easy. Sometimes it is, but most times there is backsliding to deal with from time to time.

[Ohfor]

Washy washy washy in the new Blue Cheer.

Rinsy rinsy rinsy in the water so clear.

Put it to your nose....smells like a rose.

[CoachZee]

If anyone is interested, the bats came alive today in a DH. Just what the doctor ordered, a couple of mid level pitchers that we just creamed.

I took the girl who was on double deck and had her do Steve's one arm drill and used the rope drill. Once the girls started seeing the results, they were lining up to do drills before their at bats.

Drills, drills, and more drills.

DD hit the furtherest ball she's ever hit in her life. The field didn't have fences and it was ruled a ground rule triple but would have easily cleared any fenced in park. A few other girls hit shots that had the outfielders chasing balls. Overall a good day.

The coach of one of the teams also coaches a D-III team and loved the rope drill I was using with our girls. He didn't quite grasp the concept of using it but said he was going to use it for his girls.