Bat Tilting Issues with Coach

[softballphreak]

I absolutely can not agree with what youre saying Druer. Many people work with their kids for years before they ever get to High School to get them to a certain point. Many have kids that already have 5 years or more travel ball experience by the time they even get to High School.

I don't think anyone standing up and disagreeing with plain bad coaching is wrong in doing so, especially after spending so much time trying to just "get it right" in the first place. It is extremely hard to untrain bad habits as it is, why would anyone allow someone else to blatantly introduce more bad habits as described above?

My daughter is learning about the game of softball and I hope learning life lessons in the process. She shouldn't have to blindly accept what someone else says just for the sake of the person being in a position of authority said so.

I am trying to teach my daughter to be a leader...not a follower. If she sees something wrong, she needs to know that its okay to question it. Not quietly submit and accept it.

I agree with both you and druer but for different reasons.

In the situation based on the original post I agree with you. Because the coach is wrong about the mechanics in my opinion.

But what if the coach was right and the player was wrong? Is it still being a leader not to follow?

I have players that do know and I have players that do not know. Some of the ones who do know are hard to teach (or tweak). They are very resistant to trying anything that they don't already know. On the other hand I have some players that don't know but are certain they know the best way. These are the hardest to teach.

The ones that don't know anything are the easiest to work with. But at the HS level they are smothered by the ones with experience. Makes one want to transfer to middle school sometimes.

So overall I have to agree more with druer.

 

[Wellphyt]

He's going to end up with a bunch of bat draggers because he's trying to by-pass the hand flattening action which is important in establishing connection. When using a flat handset like he's teaching the action needed to establish connection is completely under the hood, and it is highly unlikely the girls will figure it out.

Bat drag and gate swings.

 

[Justanotherdad]

I agree with both you and druer but for different reasons.

In the situation based on the original post I agree with you. Because the coach is wrong about the mechanics in my opinion.

But what if the coach was right and the player was wrong? Is it still being a leader not to follow?

I have players that do know and I have players that do not know. Some of the ones who do know are hard to teach (or tweak). They are very resistant to trying anything that they don't already know. On the other hand I have some players that don't know but are certain they know the best way. These are the hardest to teach.

The ones that don't know anything are the easiest to work with. But at the HS level they are smothered by the ones with experience. Makes one want to transfer to middle school sometimes.

So overall I have to agree more with druer.

Don't get me wrong. I expect her to try and learn from everyone and more importantly be respectful. But what was explained above is just wrong and I can guarantee it would be more than just parents raising eye brows if some of the kids I know were asked to do that.

All I am saying is, I don't agree with simply "passing out pillows because the head coach says you need to swing standing on your head."

 

[Dragoncoach]

I had a parent that wanted his dd to hit that way, I said that I was ok with it but I would not teach it. She has the most potential yet struggles at the plate. He thought it would be quicker because the bat was already on plane. She was behind on everything and when she did make contact foul down 1st. (righty) I tried to explain bat speed, whip,etc. This year I think hes coming around after going to a high level clinic (tripple threat I believe). I would Try to get him to look at some slo -mo video and some post on here and maybe go to a clinic.

 

[softballphreak]

There was a team in our area called the Rage that used the technique mentioned in the first post. They all swung the '04 Rocket Tech when they first came out. I thought their great hits was because of their swing mechanics but I know now that the '04 RT had a lot to do with it. Of course, you got to hit it before it can become a great hit.

Many good hitters have unorthodox styles or mechanics. There are no absolutes when it comes to hitting. The only team I've ever seen where the batters had almost identical mechanics was Coach Tschida's D3 team from around 2003(?) maybe when they played in the Nationals. When I asked him how he managed that he said "my way or the highway" in effect.

 

[John]

I totally agree with Greenmonsters...2+2 Will never equal 5 regardless of how much authority the teacher has. The correct answer IMO would be for the Assistant Coach to question in private the methods of the Head Coach. In the event he still disagrees, he now has a decision to make. Go along with it or leave, not stay and undermine the coach.

 

[ArmWhip]

The coach sounds like a believer in the 'level swing'. He doesn't understand swing plane at all.

Our HS coach has decided that the whole team should learn to slap hit (lefty), even the girls who could play nose guard on the football team. He told them that it is one of the easiest things to do in softball. He rationalized it by saying that when we face the really good pitchers in league we can foul off a bunch of pitches and tire the girl out. My daughter voted with her feet. I was OK with it because it was going to be a frustrating season and now I can speak my mind.

 

[2bucketdad]

players:
My question is "which players listened to what the coach asked them to do, made the correction the coach asked for (despite grimaces from dads/moms) and still hit the ball in the tryouts?" i'd like to know because those are the athletes i'd want on my team and i'd invest my life in teaching players who understand that they can learn something from everyone and that "style" isn't what keeps anyone from hitting.

You:
Your job as an assistant coach is to pass out pillows if the head coach asks them to stand on their head and hit the ball. As you teach your ms students prepare them for life and help them understand that if they work with 10 coaches they will hear 10 different things and that what's important is that they learn how to continue learning by picking up something from each of the 10.

Head coach:
I can't make any assumptions based on what you indicate he asked them to do at 1 tryout, but i do know he's not really relevant to the story at all. This game (and life in general) always comes down to whether or not we can control the 6" between our brains, or whether we allow someone else to effect our level of effort or our attitude. If you help the players, parents, boosters learn that this year, then you've set them up for success throughout life. Demonstrate it for them by the way you react to situations like that and challenge the leaders on the team to demonstrate it for the younger players. If parents/boosters pull you aside and start discussing an issue like that just say "sue i appreciate your concern for your daughter, but i can assure you that your daughter is a talented athlete and you should admire the fact that she's making the adjustments and still hitting like a beast. I sure hope that on the ride home you'll reinforce that positivity that your daughters demonstrating. Very exceptional young lady, and i'm guessing she gets it from you." then you can giggle, you've addressed her concern, and she'll never bring another ridiciculous issue like that to you again all year. She'll be both flattered, and will admire her daughter. More importantly she'll discuss the positive comments you've made about her little princess with her, so she'll be your #1 fan for life, instead of griping about what the head coach did that upset her.

I call that "wintality".

you are a freakin genius!

 

[2bucketdad]

Btw, we tell our kids, be respectful of any coach telling you anything, and listen and try what they say, if we like it and it works for us we may use it...if it doesn't we file it away...if you are playing for this coach at school or whatever do the same and if you are crushing the ball in the games the coach isn't going to care how you are doing it.

 

[Cannonball]

I checked my pocket and found 2 cents to contribute so here is my 2 cents worth.

We just had our HS parent meeting. I told them that I won't try to change their child for the sake of change. I did tell them my opinions on what constitutes an "expert" and that most of the "experts" are self proclaimed and really have never put in the hours I have with regards to hitting, fielding, ... So, they can keep paying their money to their experts and as long as their child is successful, I won't change them. However, when/if they are unsuccessful, I will suggest changes with the end result of them not making those changes then sitting the bench. I might add as a hs coach, that the drill work that I have my players do is geared individually to each of them and like it or not, fits my belief system with regards to swing mechanics. So, they will do what I need for them to do in practice. To expect anything less is to suggest that I should only serve as a supervisor. That won't happen.

With regards to the comments about being an assistant, I was an assistant for a crazy guy for a long time. When we didn't agree, we yelled, screamed, and sometimes talked. We were both passionate. Our communication on our differences made us strong as a team. Sometimes I won. Sometimes he won. Together the kids won. That's all I have to say about that. LOL!