Hitting instruction during high school season

[slapperdad]

Several questions come to mind:
1. How does your HC take it when you ask them not to tinker with your DD's swing?
2. How many continue with private instructors during high school season?
3. What do you do when your coach forbids you from going to your private instructor during the high school season?

Just curious, I'm a high school rookie.

[killerbee]

Remember you're at the mercy of the HS coach now. What he/she says, goes unless they don't know!

A coach should realize what your daughter has built is not an over night creation. It's take thousands of reps and countless hours to create a few memories that the muscles use during the swing. Chances of making any type of swing change during a few short weeks of practices involving 20+ girls are slim to none!

Do you happen to attend FC? If so, I've got some tricks for you.

If you're with a hitting coach that is giving lot's of live arm, keep quiet and continue to instruction. If you're with someone that is still breaking down the swing, take the break and pick back up in August.

[DrHeat]

Several questions come to mind:
1. How does your HC take it when you ask them not to tinker with your DD's swing?
2. How many continue with private instructors during high school season?
3. What do you do when your coach forbids you from going to your private instructor during the high school season?

Just curious, I'm a high school rookie.

1. I wouldn't contradict what High School coach says if my DD is batting a buck fifty. I would however, mention the changes to our hitting instructor to see if they agree.

2. We continue to hit with our instructor in a session with only our High School athletes.

3. You might mention to your coach that your DD can get extra swings in, to work on improving her swing. Not a problem for my two DDs. Both of my girls take lessons from someone who coached a very successful travel team that our Head Coach played for a few years back.
Actually, our coach noticed a little tweaking needed in one of my kids swing and told her how to correct it, then told her to tell her hitting coach to look at it and have him help her with it.

It's tough being a rookie parent in HS ball. This is my 3rd and 4th rodeo. I remember about twelve years ago when it was new to me also. I had questions also.

Good Luck in High School season.

Jim Atkinson

[killerbee]

It's tough being a rookie parent in HS ball. This is my 3rd and 4th rodeo. I remember about twelve years ago when it was new to me also. I had questions also.

You don't look a day over 25

[DrHeat]

It's tough being a rookie parent in HS ball. This is my 3rd and 4th rodeo. I remember about twelve years ago when it was new to me also. I had questions also.

You don't look a day over 25

Thanks Buzz, but in dog years, I'm dead.

[snoop]

What tricks???

[softball_rules5]

I heard a very prominent HS coach say that he doesn't have time to re-vamp a swing during season, he is to busy working on building the team aspect of things (defense, offensive situations, etc.). Therefore, if it is to get swings in for repetition, then I wouldn't see a problem. However, if the HC is going to try and rebuild the entire swing, probably not going to be a hit (pardon the pun) with the HS coach.

[DLauck]

Several questions come to mind:
1. How does your HC take it when you ask them not to tinker with your DD's swing?
2. How many continue with private instructors during high school season?
3. What do you do when your coach forbids you from going to your private instructor during the high school season?

Just curious, I'm a high school rookie.

Good questions. Here's how I would handle it:

1. If a parent were to tell me "not to tinker" with a swing, I would tell them I will make adjustments if I feel it's necessary.

2. I would recommend to any parent to scale back any instruction their DD is getting during the season. I would tell them your DD is going to get plenty of reps at practice; if the parent and/or coach feel the kid needs some help in a certain area, then go to the hitting instructor and work on that.

3. I don't know how a HS coach can "forbid" a player from seeing their private instructor. If the HS coach feels that visiting a private instructor during the season is a distraction for the player, then they should say something to the parent. Ultimately, it's the parents' choice to decide what is worthwhile for their kid.

The bottom line is the HS coach should know what their players are doing with their private instructors (I need to do a better job of this, btw). Establishing common language with the instructors has been beneficial for me. If the girls sense you know what they're attempting to do, then credibility is established; which improves the relationship between the player and coach.

[Frontloader]

Slapper i had to laugh when i read your post. Im pretty sure who you are and where your at. Go in and talk to coach, they could learn something from you and your dd. Im in the co. north west of you. Student manager told my dd she didnt know how to pitch. Yes i said student manager was working with pitchers. Tried to teach her, my dd told her politely to go away.

[Coach9337]

1. We want our travel ball players and parents to know right up front that changing their DD’s swing is not our intention unless we see a real breakdown in their swing mechanics. At the beginning of the year we have our players fill out a questionnaire asking several questions pertaining what their doing in the off season. Do they play travel ball, who’s their pitching coach , if they are taking hitting instruction, and who their instructors are. It gives me a leg up before we hit the cages. If we see something in their swing that’s going south, I usually will get with their hitting instructor on the phone or over a pop, and talk about what I’m seeing. I see the hitting and pitching instructors as an extension of our program. Parents who are worried about fundamental swing changes should talk to their HS coaches about their philosophy on hitting and explain that you’ve spent thousands of dollars on your DD’s swing and your concerned about it. We want my players to be successful and communication with the parents, players and coaches go along way toward that goal.

2. I encourage my players to continue with their instructors thru out the year. I want them out there swinging. Keeps them out of trouble…………………

3. I would answer this question with a question. Why would I not want my players out there getting cuts with a quality instructor? I’m sure there are HS coaches out there that tell their players to stop working with instructors when the season starts and I too would like to hear that side of the issue.