So during the summer, my daughter (16yo) focused a lot of getting stronger because she feels she wants to make a push to make a d1 program. This was her choice, not mine, but I supported her and helped her on this.
Since April, she's gone from a 116 pound contact hitter, to about 136 pounds and is now consistently hitting jacks during her practices (previously, she never did). On her blast sensor, she would hit about 54 mph tops last year(average about 50), this year she's consistently in the 60's, and hit 64mph bat speed a few weeks ago, we'll just say that her swing has gotten a lot faster. This hasn't been a good thing for her.
In practice, she's easily the best hitter on her team, both high school and her travel team. On machine and and soft toss, she rakes, and against faster pitching she's pretty good, but in live games against pitchers throwing sub 55 mph, she's struggling bad. Every swing either too early, or off the end of the bat. We do the thing of telling her to let it travel, try to hit to left field (she's a lefty), all that, but mentally, she's still timing the pitcher as if she's swinging 50 mph bat speed instead of 60 mph and it's definitely making a difference in her performance.
We're not in panic mode because we know that when she does get her timing down, she's going to do pretty well, but the adjustment is frustrating for her. Any tips from parents/coaches who've been through this process?
Since April, she's gone from a 116 pound contact hitter, to about 136 pounds and is now consistently hitting jacks during her practices (previously, she never did). On her blast sensor, she would hit about 54 mph tops last year(average about 50), this year she's consistently in the 60's, and hit 64mph bat speed a few weeks ago, we'll just say that her swing has gotten a lot faster. This hasn't been a good thing for her.
In practice, she's easily the best hitter on her team, both high school and her travel team. On machine and and soft toss, she rakes, and against faster pitching she's pretty good, but in live games against pitchers throwing sub 55 mph, she's struggling bad. Every swing either too early, or off the end of the bat. We do the thing of telling her to let it travel, try to hit to left field (she's a lefty), all that, but mentally, she's still timing the pitcher as if she's swinging 50 mph bat speed instead of 60 mph and it's definitely making a difference in her performance.
We're not in panic mode because we know that when she does get her timing down, she's going to do pretty well, but the adjustment is frustrating for her. Any tips from parents/coaches who've been through this process?