Drop the bat, don't throw the bat.

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Oct 2, 2017
2,283
113
Guys,

I was wondering how you guys teach kids to not throw the bat after hitting the ball. I think my daughter does it, because she is so focused on running after contact, vs Hitting first then running down the baseline.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
My worst offender from years ago - I made her carry the bat to first for a while. Then once she got that down, she was allowed to drop it after 2 steps.

We got there eventually.
It always cracked me up to see kids wearing helmets in t-ball..until my oldest started playing and then I began to realize that the helmets were actually to protect the on-deck batter :D
 
Oct 2, 2017
2,283
113
My worst offender from years ago - I made her carry the bat to first for a while. Then once she got that down, she was allowed to drop it after 2 steps.

We got there eventually.

That's what I was actually thinking of having her do, maybe just not all the way down the baseline :D:D
 
Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
Drop the bat on home plate then run would correct it. Also would make them likely more focused on that than actually hitting for a short while...but it's better than decapitating the catcher/ump :)
 

Chris Delorit

Member
Apr 24, 2016
343
28
Green Bay, WI
Great question, and one of those basic skills that often goes overlooked.

Develop a "personalized" method and practice it.

Something like finish the swing, read the contact, hold the bat momentarily on that first step and/or rotation and step exiting the batter's box, then release the hands.

Regardless of whether right or left-handed, target release with her right hand up the baseline a step. Ideally, this will help her to not immediately whip the bat back post swing and will keep the release well outside her own running path and into foul territory.

Eventually, she'll develop feel for different contacts where she'll learn about hanging on to the bat a little less (slaps) or a bit longer (popups foul).

Chris
 
Feb 19, 2016
280
28
Texas
Develop a "personalized" method and practice it.

Something like finish the swing, read the contact, hold the bat momentarily on that first step and/or rotation and step exiting the batter's box, then release the hands.

Great idea. Make it a style thing. That's way more fun.

I don't know how many times I've told girls to stop watching the ball and run. At least you don't have that problem.

Most girls I've seen that throw the bat, they release at the end of the swing and it flies behind them or directly at the catcher. In that case, she just needs to hold onto the bat a tick longer until her momentum is heading the other way. The other offender is usually the girl that swings the bat back after her swing. This get's dicey on more than one level, and they usually do it on missed balls as well. It doesn't usually take many times of practice to fix this habit. Just make her conscious of it during hitting practice, have her do it really deliberately, and she should start self correcting in no time.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top