Getting a rec team to hit

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May 26, 2021
56
18
I've done a couple seasons of coaching 10u rec and I'll be doing more in the fall. A lot of our practices are batting practice in stations, so getting in a lot of reps, but what seems to be the biggest issue is hitting against a live pitcher.

We were doing cages once a week, a lot of tee work, and soft/front toss, the girls hit fine in those situations, they hit at least, but against a live pitcher it's so hard. No one seems to hit. So I figured I would have our pitchers do some live pitching every practice, but the parents are against it and the kids are too. The pitchers feel like they are missing out on the rest of practice. Parents are worried about injuries (not sure why pitching 50 extra pitches a week will lead to an injury? But ok).

I wish I could pitch well enough that it would be like a live pitching situation, but I just can't. I feel like the girls on my team get better at fielding, I have a decent handle on that, but unfortunately if they don't hit the ball we don't win games. I almost feel like I should try to find some older girl and pay her to come pitch at practices.

Is there anything that anyone has found that can help girls improve hitting off live pitching that you can do in a season? I would love to see some improvement there at the end of the season, and I'm just not really seeing it.
 
Jan 10, 2022
43
8
Long Island NY
is this rec intermural or rec local travel? it makes a difference. for the former, it is hard as intermural teams have different interest in the girls and sometimes you can lead them to water... as the proverb goes. Otherwise, it is really just mental. the kids feel pressure, usually caused internally. they need to be calmed down and reminded over and over that it is a game and stop thinking who is throwing the ball. they need to be convinced mentally that there is no difference between a coach or machine throwing compared to another girl. once they lose the internal fear of "live" pitching and see the just the ball rather than where the ball is coming this is when they can start becoming hitters. the situation is they are not getting better because the issue is mental and not mechanical
 
May 1, 2018
659
63
So no kid ever gets better by hitting during their once maybe twice a week practice where there are 12 other girls trying to hit also. If they aren't hitting at home....they won't get better. Period.
So honestly.... assign homework to hit. Or just sit back and watch them struggle
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
Lots of front toss. But ya gotta whiz it in there with a little zip. Try golf ball whiffles too. I've used pinto beans. Reps, Reps and more Reps is the magic.

It is very apparent with the kids that played summer All Stars vs the kids that don't. There were kids that naturally athletic that were better than most kids. When the kids came for Skills Assessment the following spring, you can easily tell which kids played over the summer and when you start adding in more summers, it's comical how good they get.

So what's the difference? The kids are now surrounded with better players. Their practices should be a lot more focused. They can play almost a half of a season in one weekend. Instead of 2 games a week. Better pitching to hit, more reps which feeds the confidence levels.
 
Jun 7, 2022
4
3
Lots of front toss. But ya gotta whiz it in there with a little zip. Try golf ball whiffles too. I've used pinto beans. Reps, Reps and more Reps is the magic.

It is very apparent with the kids that played summer All Stars vs the kids that don't. There were kids that naturally athletic that were better than most kids. When the kids came for Skills Assessment the following spring, you can easily tell which kids played over the summer and when you start adding in more summers, it's comical how good they get.

So what's the difference? The kids are now surrounded with better players. Their practices should be a lot more focused. They can play almost a half of a season in one weekend. Instead of 2 games a week. Better pitching to hit, more reps which feeds the confidence levels.
The kids have enough energy to play half a season in one weekend. It's also because it's not a job, it's a hobby. I remember myself as a kid.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
So no kid ever gets better by hitting during their once maybe twice a week practice where there are 12 other girls trying to hit also. If they aren't hitting at home....they won't get better. Period.
So honestly.... assign homework to hit. Or just sit back and watch them struggle

This is absolutely not true. Those who do work at home will get a lot better, a lot faster, but casual players can and will get better.

This won't happen overnight, but get better at pitching. Teach yourself how to throw underhand. It's really not that hard, especially since we're talking 10u rec here. You can give them decent batting practice without even doing an arm circle. And when you do the BP, only take 2-3 girls at a time (one to hit, a couple to shag) if possible. Don't have the entire team standing around while you pitch to a single girl. If you have coaching help, make sure everyone else is doing something different so they're keeping busy and getting reps.
 
May 26, 2021
56
18
This is absolutely not true. Those who do work at home will get a lot better, a lot faster, but casual players can and will get better.

This won't happen overnight, but get better at pitching. Teach yourself how to throw underhand. It's really not that hard, especially since we're talking 10u rec here. You can give them decent batting practice without even doing an arm circle. And when you do the BP, only take 2-3 girls at a time (one to hit, a couple to shag) if possible. Don't have the entire team standing around while you pitch to a single girl. If you have coaching help, make sure everyone else is doing something different so they're keeping busy and getting reps.
These pitchers are throwing 45-50 miles an hour. Without an arm circle I'm throwing 32 max. Yes I've clocked myself. Am I really that weak? Can coaches throw 45 mph without an arm circle? In our league one coach does an arm circle and hurls them in. No other coaches I've seen throw very fast other than him.
 
Last edited:
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
These pitchers are throwing 45-50 miles an hour. Without an arm circle I'm throwing 32 max. Yes I've clocked myself. Am I really that weak? Can coaches throw 45 mph without an arm circle? In our league one coach does an arm circle and hurls them in. No other coaches I've seen throw very fast other than him.

45-50 in 10u rec? I'm not saying you're wrong, but that's just bonkers to me when that's as fast or faster than all but the top 5-10% of HS pitchers around here.
 
Jun 7, 2020
220
28
U may be able to throw 32mph but it's easier to hit at full distance. The closer you are the less reaction time the girls have. Pitch it 10 to 15ft away. Make sure u are behind a screen. Also find some where that has a batting cage. You can have stations of front toss, live pitching (possibly from an older player) and tee work as well. But you need a cage or facility.
Run them all at the same time. If you can't have a live pither use a pitching machine.
 
May 26, 2021
56
18
45-50 in 10u rec? I'm not saying you're wrong, but that's just bonkers to me when that's as fast or faster than all but the top 5-10% of HS pitchers around here.
I've gunned a 47 on a pocket radar personally. Other coaches say she got up to 50, can't say for sure.
Decent number 1 pitchers on a team are all over 43. My team was 2nd to last in the spring and I think it was mostly because our number 1 was throwing around 41-42 range.
 

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