12U DD Update--Need some new eyes/suggestions

[gophert]

Been working on an improved sequence the last couple weeks. I'd like to see a little better load. However it does look like her hands are staying back until her hip fires. There also seems to be little to no bat drag which has plagued her for years. Thoughts?

AND Proof that nothing happens over night. Here is where we started 3 years ago:




Sent from my typewriter

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Gophert, please describe the process you took to correct the 'bat drag'.

 

[straightleg]

Been working on an improved sequence the last couple weeks. I'd like to see a little better load. However it does look like her hands are staying back until her hip fires. There also seems to be little to no bat drag which has plagued her for years. Thoughts?


AND Proof that nothing happens over night. Here is where we started 3 years ago:




Sent from my typewriter

Sequence looks pretty good.
She starts out with good bat angle then flattens it behind her.
Fix:
Start with the bat were it is and let it get just a little taller through the sequence, then her swing of the bat will be more underneath.
You will then here the ball crack off the bat with a more south to north release.



SL

 

[gophert]

Gophert, please describe the process you took to correct the 'bat drag'.

The hardest thing is taking what technical info you all give and breaking it way down to where a 10-12 year old can get it. It still creeps back in occasionally but not near as bad. I never threw too much at her. We would work on something specific until she got bored with it then move on.


1. We first started with the "PVC" pipe homemade apparatus between her arms to help her get the "feel" of what elbow separation feels like. I tried using terms like "turn the barrel" but that didn't really get the result I wanted. It was easier for her to understand what "show the bottom of the triangle" or show the bottom of the "A" means.

2. Lots of high tee drills. I would set the tee on a bucket and pretty much make her use only her top half. We would do 1 bucket of that, then start to add the lower half in on the rest of the buckets.

3. We also did a lot of Tee work starting with the bat sitting on her shoulder. For her, it helped keep her bat stacked a little longer.

One of the best things I think that happened to my daughter was she made an older "A" travel team. And when I say she made it, she is on the team but doesn't play near as much as she did on her B team where she was the best. This has fueled a work ethic I did not think she has. She read where Ralph and Karen Weakly of TN tell their kids to hit 100 tee balls every day. She got serious to improve her hitting and does that 4-5 days a week along with pitching. So there is no easy way other than work.

This is what a normal Tee workout looks for us. 1 bucket is 20 balls

Bucket 1: High Tee
Bucket 2: SNF drill
Bucket 3: Walk through drill
Bucket 4: Stork stride drill
Bucket 5: Hit away

Hope this helps.

Tim

 

[Eric F]

The hardest thing is taking what technical info you all give and breaking it way down to where a 10-12 year old can get it.

YES!!! Recently, FFS gave some advice that included a reference to the top hand position facing the pitcher, not to the sky, at a certain point of the swing. This information was great. It's a cue that is easily understood by both newbie parents and young hitters. Sure, the same information has been discussed many times, but often in language that doesn't directly translate to the head of a young hitter. I've been bumping around here for a little while, and there's a few terms that leave me puzzled as to what they really mean.

 

[rdbass]

Your DD's 'stretch' is the yellow line stretch. Front foot/leg to the hands.
I would like to see your DD's 'stretch' be the red line stretch. Between the rear hip and hands.
Need to have the rear leg 'in charge' of the front leg.

 

[gophert]

Need to have the rear leg 'in charge' of the front leg.

Yep...I see that too and it is something we have worked some on. As you can see, she had what I called a reverse move toward the catcher in her load since we started. It's not as bad but still there.

Anything you suggest to do?

I had her the other night just stand with equal weight on both feet and then just pick up her stride leg. The body automatically moves that direction. The lightbulb in her head flickered I think.

Thx for the help.



Sent from my typewriter

 

[rdbass]

Yep...I see that too and it is something we have worked some on. As you can see, she had what I called a reverse move toward the catcher in her load since we started. It's not as bad but still there.

Anything you suggest to do?

I had her the other night just stand with equal weight on both feet and then just pick up her stride leg. The body automatically moves that direction. The lightbulb in her head flickered I think.

Thx for the help.



Sent from my typewriter

I would do this drill:

I also think the answer is not having your DD mindset of 'pointing the toes to china'.

Take some cuts with the idea of NEVER LETTING YOUR REAR HEEL LEAVE THE GROUND....and watch your suddenness and power increase. It will move despite your effort to not let it move....but that effort to not let it move is where the power comes from.

 

[coach james]

IMO the only thing Im not a big fan of in Gopherts dds swing, is how balanced on her back foot she is as she starts the stride. Im thinking she needs to keep her weight more centered (60/40) as the front foot picks up to stride, this will force a forward weight shift as opposed to sitting back.... but overall shes looking much better.

 

[gophert]

We have been doing this drill for some time. And although I do know what it is trying to accomplish, I think it may be causing her to put too much weight on her rear leg, which is not what we want.

Although, I don't think she is loading like he does in the drill. I'm thinking a slight wedge under her rear foot might help her with the feeling.