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Make sure that the correct fundamental are being performed during the swing.
The Quick-6 Bad Habits I would look for are:
- Overstriding is causing the head to drop and the batter is swinging under the ball. Leading elbow straightens out too
soon before contact. The bat sweeps through the zone instead of the bat being thrown through the zone.
- The back toes are not turned up freely as the bat makes contact and the hips are not turning quick enough or horizontally.
- Lifting the front shoulder and dropping the back shoulder during the swing. The bat never gets on level plane with the
ball.
- The stride knee opens to soon or too far. Both knees need to be kept facing or slightly facing the plate during the swing
and contact. Keepiing the front knee closed tends to help the hitter keep the weight and hands back and to allow the hands
and hips to work in rthymn during the swing.
- Is the hitter lunging forward. Young hitters need to learn to "trust their hand speed" and to set back and wait! Do not
jump out at the ball but rather sit back and turn on it! The hips should turn rather that the whole body lunging forward.
This hip movement should occur at the exact same moment the elbows and wrist extend.
- Make sure that your hitter understand the concept of "using the whole field". Hitters have to learn early that they can
not "pull everything". They learn to hit the ball where it is pitched. Strikes on the inside third of the plate are pulled.
Strikes on the middle third are hit straight back at the pitcher. Strikes on the outside third of the plate are hit to the
opposite field.
The last thing I recommend you talk to your player about is "count awareness". The count determines you "battitude" at
the plate. When you are ahead be choosy at which pitches you attack. When you have two strikes on you, you must swing at anything
close or around the plate. I always tell my players, "If is is close enough for the umpire to call a strike, it is close enough
for you to put the bat on it!". Do not take a called third strike. Put the ball in play!
I want to thank you for taking the time to read this article. You are a concerned and dedicated coach or parent. You want
to do your part in helping a youngster experience the excitement and joy of hitting success! I applaud you for your dedication
and commitment. As the President/CEO of Nedco Sports/Hit2win.com and a still active high school coach I know the future of
our game lies in the hands of adults not children. Kids learn from what they see. All young eyes are on you! If your kids
see your dedication, commitment, and sportmanship, they will follow your example. Remember you are an improtant role model
and you are improtant to this game! Happy Hitting til Next Time! Coach Nick
Baseball Poem: Another Swing!
One swing does not make an at-bat.
One at-bat does not make an inning.
One inning does not make
a game.
One game does not make a week.
One week does not make a season.
One season does not make a career.
One career does not make a
life.
This is baseball, there is always going to be another
day.
The sun will come up, the dogs will bark, and the
birds will sing.
Cheer up son, this is baseball, and you will always get
another swing!
Nick Dixon
'88
This poem was written by Coach Nick Dixon when one of his sons failed to get a hit in a crucial situation against
an arch rival opponent. The game was lost and his son felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. The team recovered by
overcoming the loss and went on to eventually win the league championship. Coach Dixon wrote the poem and placed it on
his son's bedside table for him to find the next morning. The son went on to have an outstanding high school and collegiate
baseball career.
Players are going to make mistakes, errors, and miscues. That is all a part of the game. Baseball is a game played one
pitch at a time. We should not carry "old baggage" but rather look to and focus only on the next pitch!
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