Is it unreasonable to assume that club coaches will develop hitting?

[FP26]

If the HC can't figure out how to get in a good BP session in a 4 hour practice, it's poor planning.

That said, team BP is for reps to keep skills sharp, not instruction. Even if the team is doing a 1 hour BP session, 1x per week is not enough to make any real improvements. Generally speaking for TB, if you're not doing extra work outside of team practices, you're falling behind. I understand it's hard if you're also doing other specialty skill work (like pitching), but this is reality. Between games, practices, hitting instruction sessions, and work at home, a decent week for my DD is having a bat in her hand at least 4x per week. More is better.

When I was still an active coach, the goal I gave my players was 3 sessions per week with a minimum of 50 swings each, with the majority of that coming against a moving ball. We did incorporate hitting into our team practices but it isn't feasible to give 50 swings to 12 players. We would break it down into a couple tee stations as well as front toss. We did the best we could to help each player develop, but it isn't possible to match the effectiveness of one-on-one training. I did offer individual time at no charge for those interested. I worked with several players while a few had other coaches that they worked with.

 

[kibadbo]

If the HC can't figure out how to get in a good BP session in a 4 hour practice, it's poor planning.

That said, team BP is for reps to keep skills sharp, not instruction. Even if the team is doing a 1 hour BP session, 1x per week is not enough to make any real improvements. Generally speaking for TB, if you're not doing extra work outside of team practices, you're falling behind. I understand it's hard if you're also doing other specialty skill work (like pitching), but this is reality. Between games, practices, hitting instruction sessions, and work at home, a decent week for my DD is having a bat in her hand at least 4x per week. More is better.

I agree with what you are saying. But I feel like I am having to take on more and more of her development outside of practice. There are sessions with her outside pitching coach and me, now she has to hit regularly at home. Also her overhand throwing pattern is off so I'm working with her on that too. She wants to start resistance training. Now I'm her head trainer. I'm starting to wonder what the heck I pay them for.

 

[_MIA_]

I agree with what you are saying. But I feel like I am having to take on more and more of her development outside of practice. There are sessions with her outside pitching coach and me, now she has to hit regularly at home. Also her overhand throwing pattern is off so I'm working with her on that too. She wants to start resistance training. Now I'm her head trainer. I'm starting to wonder what the heck I pay them for.

It will be gone soon enough and left in its place will be peace and quiet and a lot more money...wait..that didn't help.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Coaching /developing/instructing hitting at a team practice should be limited to "breathe, relax and see the ball". Stop thinking and yes yes yes approach.

 

[ang2bmd]

Practice is for things that are difficult to do on your own. Fielding and throwing first and foremost. Live hitting absolutely but individual instruction, tee drills etc not so much. Our very high level 16u team has 3 hour practices 2 hours or fielding and throwing and an hour of some kind of live scrimmage, live hitting. This has been true since 10u. This team is expected to recruit to the P5 level. My kiddo specifically plays 3 varsity sports. Goes to hitting lessons weekly to every other week depending on schedule and hits on her own twice a week if we don't play that weekend. She lifts weights in school 4 days a week which is just as important as hitting lessons at the high school level and she makes straight As.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Hawk_]

5 swings a practice is crazy but: If you practice 2 hrs twice a week, and there is 12 girls on a team.... the amount of time to hit is not enough. If you are not hitting on your own your DD will not get better. Plan and simple.

 

[Eric F]

I agree with what you are saying. But I feel like I am having to take on more and more of her development outside of practice. There are sessions with her outside pitching coach and me, now she has to hit regularly at home. Also her overhand throwing pattern is off so I'm working with her on that too. She wants to start resistance training. Now I'm her head trainer. I'm starting to wonder what the heck I pay them for.

A suggestion...Don't look at it as a burden. Look at it as an opportunity for you and your DD to spend time together, and build memories that will last your lifetimes. I was that coach-it-all-dad for my DD until about 12yo. Unfortunately, we struggled to get along very well in an instructional setting, and I realized that my role needed to change. I started paying people to tell my DD to do stuff (hitting instructor, catching instructor, strength trainer). My job was minimized to throwing front toss, driving the car, and writing checks. I backed off of giving her instruction when it was just her and I working together because it only caused friction. It took some time before she became open to my input again. My DD is now 17yo, in her final year of TB, and knows more about what she's doing than I do. We've spent thousands hours together for softball, a big part of it just working on her being as good as she wants to be in the game she loves. When she's away at college next year, I will miss it tremendously. I will miss our drives listening to music, talking about F1 and MLB, and laughing our asses off about a million different things. I could not be more proud of the player - and young woman - she has become. The best part of all is that I've had a front row seat to her amazing journey.

 

[JumboJack]

The bottom line is that if a kid wants to play at a higher level (meaning anything above rec ball) you need to be doing work on your own including lessons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Eric F]

The bottom line is that if a kid wants to play at a higher level (meaning anything above fall rec ball) you need to be doing work on your own including lessons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When my DD was playing 10U rec (I was a team AC), I was asked by a parent how my DD got to be good at the game. I told the parent about all the extra work we did together at home every week - hitting, throwing, catching. The parent looked at me like I was crazy, and it was clear that they weren't willing to put in that kind of effort for their kid. I'm pretty sure they were looking for some sort of shortcut. Another parent took that same advice, and got to work. That girl was our most improved player that season, and nearly made the all-star team.

 

[ang2bmd]

I agree with what you are saying. But I feel like I am having to take on more and more of her development outside of practice. There are sessions with her outside pitching coach and me, now she has to hit regularly at home. Also her overhand throwing pattern is off so I'm working with her on that too. She wants to start resistance training. Now I'm her head trainer. I'm starting to wonder what the heck I pay them for.

I know this is hard to figure out how to squeeze it all in. Your fees are generally going to pay for practice facilities and tournament fees and for your coaches time. Player development happens with good coaches as a byproduct of how they run their practices and teaching the details and fine tuning things. Hitting is a skill just like pitching. If you want to be good at it you have to work at it. You wouldn't expect her to learn to pitch from just team practice so you shouldn't expect her to learn to hit by just team practice. This time commitment is why only a few very talented pitchers still hit at the highest levels. There are only so many hours in the day. So maybe she can only see a hitting coach every other week or every third, works off the tee 1 day instead of 4. You will figure it out. Good luck to you and your daughter.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk