hit placement

[aneasy643]

There are a lot of fantastic coaches out there who never played fastpitch softball, so having never played the game doesn't necessarily mean anything. Further, there are some coaches out there who did play the game who aren't all that good at coaching.

Of course, being clueless and bullying are very serious problems. Seems to me that the questions should be, "Where is the next best team TB team? When would be the best time to move to that team?"

I agree 100% that you do not have to play the game to coach. But HC defers to coach bully and whoa... we played in a tourney this past weekend and neither one knew how to use a dp/flex. I understand maybe it's confusing for newbies but in no way should I have to call time because HC is about to make an illegal sub when we're up by 2 in the bottom of last inning. As a coach it's your responsibility to know the rules. ALL of the rules.
Before you are faced with the situation. You can't tell me that they know anything about the amount of practice and difficulty that goes into even just going with the pitch yet don't know you can't sub players willy nilly.

 

[ConorMacleod]

12U???
1. See Ball
2. Hit Ball. Preferably hard...anywhere...

 

[marriard]

The coaches who never played baseball (or stopped at age 10) get laughed at in boys baseball, usually they get run out by 10u.

You seriously must live on a different planet to me.

 

[Sweet Lou]

I must be getting old. I keep seeing this thread as "Hip Replacement" and can't for the life of me understand why young girls would need one.

As for hit placement, it depends on the skill level of the batter, some are better than others at this.

 

[JJsqueeze]

That's ok. For two weeks I kept picturing my daughter in a poncho when I saw the "have a pitcher cover" thread.

 

[JJsqueeze]

You seriously must live on a different planet to me.

She is a furry alien that likes to eat cats.....oops that's ALF.

 

[smddad]

That about sums it up.

I don't know what these coaches mean by ''placing'' hits, but if that means trying to punch the ball over the second baseman's head, or grounding one through the hole at short, then I say forget that at this age and just work on meeting ball squarely and knocking crap out of it.

At any age it's see ball, hit ball. I don't want them thinking any more than that.

 

[obbay]

most of them are taught i.e. inside pitch try to drive to left, outside try to drive to right, middle over 2B - but where the ball actually goes...

I have found very few players who understand/can execute this concept below the U18 level, but that's what I teach.

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Too many coaches havent played any ball or were so bad they got laughed out of it...then as they age, they find out they can read "coaching for dummies" books or watch videos and all of a sudden become a coach and get instant authority that they have been needing their whole life even though they have no clue how to actually physically do anything themselves.

You do have a pitcher on the mound that is trying to get the batter to hit their pitch as well and get the batter out. The pitcher isnt out there asking where you want to hit the ball so she can pitch it to an ideal spot and give the you ideal pitch to do it with. Your goal is to hit the ball HARD!!!

 

[riseball]

You seriously must live on a different planet to me.

Living in a small bubble surrounded by reality.

To the original point of the OP, it is never too soon to start teaching players situational hitting. For most of the players that come to us at 18U this is a foreign concept. Most of them go to the plate with no consideration as to what they need to do with a singular goal of see ball, hit ball hard. Which is fine at the younger levels but certainly will not fly in college. We get them to understand what their job is at the plate based on the situation and the pitch count. Once they "get it" they quickly become very productive hitters. This is also a concept that is new to many parents as initially they will not understand that although Susie hit a rocket to the 3rd baseman who made a great play to retire the side, Susie failed miserably and will not hit next time through the order.