- Feb 24, 2010
- 154
- 0
A little background for the story. I know this is going to be long, but please bear with me as I think this needs to be put out there.
DD is 10 YO and is just starting her 2nd year of FP. Didn't really learn much from U8 manager pitch - "coach" was selected on ability to bring equipment to field for practices and games. She was taught the old school way of hitting - hands to the ball, swing down, make the other team field it, squish the bug, yada yada yada. Worked well with novices, since my daughter is big and strong, but once she moved up to FP, she got frustrated with hitting dribblers back to the pitcher/3B. Made a travel team last fall - great, someone who knows what they are doing can teach her how to hit better. BIG MISTAKE - they reinforced what was taught above, and even made it worse - point the barrel of the bat to the pitcher on ready (Really?), and other useless info. So she went from being able to hit a ball, although weakly, to not even getting a foul tip. So I went searching for hitting instruction, which is how I found this site during the winter. I then heard about a clinic held by Howard and Crystal, so we signed up. I'd have to say this is the best $80 I've ever spent on softball.
They first taught us the throwing motion. DD absorbed it like a sponge - it made sense to her. They then went on to teach the Hitting Matrix - slow to load, elbow/knob, stack back elbow, hands inside ball, bat parallel, cocked wrists, etc. She learned it so well that she was able to teach her mother on the way to the doctors that evening as she broke her pinky that morning at TB practice but was still able to complete the clinic. She FELT the difference in grip between "holding" the bat and gripping for power; she SAW the increased Big Zone when measured, she FELT the ball pop off the bat when doing the drills at the clinic - with a broken finger.
She's been in a cast since (4 weeks), and last week was her FIRST TIME hitting with the cast off. First pitch, at 50 mph from the Jugs, up the middle with greater power than ever. TB coach asked if they put a plate in her finger. "No" she says "just Crystal and Howard teaching me how to hit". She proceeded to hit the entire bucket with more force and balance than ever. Words cannot describe how she felt, especially after missing weeks of practice.
So I decided to have DD2, who's just starting U8 at 7 YO on this method, but decided to ask the HC if I could teach it to the whole team. He says ok, so I teach the 7/8 YO how to do Howard's matrix - the grip, slow to load, etc. Then I have them hit off the tee. First girl up hits a weak grounder so I check her grip and change it to where it's suppose to be. Next swing, ball makes it to the outfield grass on one hop. The smile on her face was enormous! Her dad gets off the bleachers and asks what I taught her, so I tell him. She proceeds, along with the rest of the team, to smack balls off the tee like they're much older. There's much more I'd like to include in this story, but I think you get the idea.
I have read ALL of the hitting posts, and as far as I'm concerned, Howard's method is by far the best, especially for beginners and/or those making the transition to competitive FP. I read the Big Zone and Helicopter threads, reading other disparrage Howard and his methods. I'd like to point out that what Howard is teaching is a method for GIRLS to learn how to hit a SOFTBALL, not emulate a MAN who is a PRO making loads of money to hit a ball and can practice EVERY DAY. His method allows a girl to FEEL and SEE what she is taught. If your method is different, great and good luck to you. But please DO NOT make your method sound better by finding "fault" in what Howard teaches. He IS NOT, in my opinion, teaching a girl to hit like a MLB player, or even swing like him. He is teaching them the best way that he's discovered for girls.
I know that there will be those that will start in on this yet again. I have learned, and TRIED, enough to know what to filter.
I myself am a member of the Church of Carrier.
Thanks for your time,
Wookie
DD is 10 YO and is just starting her 2nd year of FP. Didn't really learn much from U8 manager pitch - "coach" was selected on ability to bring equipment to field for practices and games. She was taught the old school way of hitting - hands to the ball, swing down, make the other team field it, squish the bug, yada yada yada. Worked well with novices, since my daughter is big and strong, but once she moved up to FP, she got frustrated with hitting dribblers back to the pitcher/3B. Made a travel team last fall - great, someone who knows what they are doing can teach her how to hit better. BIG MISTAKE - they reinforced what was taught above, and even made it worse - point the barrel of the bat to the pitcher on ready (Really?), and other useless info. So she went from being able to hit a ball, although weakly, to not even getting a foul tip. So I went searching for hitting instruction, which is how I found this site during the winter. I then heard about a clinic held by Howard and Crystal, so we signed up. I'd have to say this is the best $80 I've ever spent on softball.
They first taught us the throwing motion. DD absorbed it like a sponge - it made sense to her. They then went on to teach the Hitting Matrix - slow to load, elbow/knob, stack back elbow, hands inside ball, bat parallel, cocked wrists, etc. She learned it so well that she was able to teach her mother on the way to the doctors that evening as she broke her pinky that morning at TB practice but was still able to complete the clinic. She FELT the difference in grip between "holding" the bat and gripping for power; she SAW the increased Big Zone when measured, she FELT the ball pop off the bat when doing the drills at the clinic - with a broken finger.
She's been in a cast since (4 weeks), and last week was her FIRST TIME hitting with the cast off. First pitch, at 50 mph from the Jugs, up the middle with greater power than ever. TB coach asked if they put a plate in her finger. "No" she says "just Crystal and Howard teaching me how to hit". She proceeded to hit the entire bucket with more force and balance than ever. Words cannot describe how she felt, especially after missing weeks of practice.
So I decided to have DD2, who's just starting U8 at 7 YO on this method, but decided to ask the HC if I could teach it to the whole team. He says ok, so I teach the 7/8 YO how to do Howard's matrix - the grip, slow to load, etc. Then I have them hit off the tee. First girl up hits a weak grounder so I check her grip and change it to where it's suppose to be. Next swing, ball makes it to the outfield grass on one hop. The smile on her face was enormous! Her dad gets off the bleachers and asks what I taught her, so I tell him. She proceeds, along with the rest of the team, to smack balls off the tee like they're much older. There's much more I'd like to include in this story, but I think you get the idea.
I have read ALL of the hitting posts, and as far as I'm concerned, Howard's method is by far the best, especially for beginners and/or those making the transition to competitive FP. I read the Big Zone and Helicopter threads, reading other disparrage Howard and his methods. I'd like to point out that what Howard is teaching is a method for GIRLS to learn how to hit a SOFTBALL, not emulate a MAN who is a PRO making loads of money to hit a ball and can practice EVERY DAY. His method allows a girl to FEEL and SEE what she is taught. If your method is different, great and good luck to you. But please DO NOT make your method sound better by finding "fault" in what Howard teaches. He IS NOT, in my opinion, teaching a girl to hit like a MLB player, or even swing like him. He is teaching them the best way that he's discovered for girls.
I know that there will be those that will start in on this yet again. I have learned, and TRIED, enough to know what to filter.
I myself am a member of the Church of Carrier.
Thanks for your time,
Wookie