|
|
|
Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply.
To register, click here. Registration is FREE!
|
| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| bfriendly |
Posted - 12/23/2015 : 09:07:12
I am constantly trying to learn everything I can to try and help myself and my son become better hitters and players in general. We work at home on things he has received from lesson etc.... maybe I watch too many Youtube videos, but I love to improve and love seeing improvements in my kid as well......but I'm no pro.
I was curious what any of you parents and/or coaches use sort of as a text book or theory, or lesson type material, in your development. Do you just do when the coach or instructor tells them to do at home?
Not trying to promote any, but I did get(buy) a video on 7 misconceptions which is what I intend to implement as they really make sense and I have heard them all many times! I have switched so many things on both our swings it amazing(& ridiculous)...... I know coaching philosophies or methods for achieving similar results will change from person to person. I'm just curious if anyone of you folks have used Coach Brockhoff's Super 8 hitting System. Results? |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| bfriendly |
Posted - 01/19/2016 : 18:06:03
quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
hshuler, parents not allowing their kid to fail is a rampant problem in today's society. The words extraordinary and special should be used sparingly. Instead parents are instilling a sense of entitlement into this generation. They think if they show up and sort of try it should automatically work out for them because every time it didn't their parents fixed it so it did. They get to high school and even college having never known true failure or adversity. It's a big problem.
BamaDad, welcome to the double edged sword of having a youth player who knows he is good. For my son the breaking point was 12u. I moved my son to a team with a hard nosed coach. If you didn't put in the effort and the practice you didn't play. It didn't matter what you were capable of it only mattered what you were doing at that moment.
It was a HUGE wake up call for my son to be benched the first two games of the fall season. He finally asked me why I thought he was benched since he "knew he was better than some of the kids out there". He actually thought the coach was just ignorant of his skills. I explained that Coach X doesn't HAVE to let you play, you have to earn your spot to play and you do that through working hard. Right now those other boys are working harder than you and they will become better than you because of that. Why would the coach waste his time on someone who isn't trying? The days of you coasting by on your natural ability are over. The boys who are playing are the boys that are working, you are not, so enjoy the bench. He said "But that's NOT fair!" I said "What's not fair is you thinking you are such hot stuff that you don't have to work. Hard work gets rewarded, having talent won't get you off the bench".
That could have been the end of baseball for him. I really hoped it wouldn't be but it wasn't my work ethic that was going to get him onto the field. He had to knock that chip off his shoulder and decide if he was willing to work to get what he wanted. Turned out he was willing and by Spring he was on the field pretty much every inning and leading the team as they jogged around the field instead of being the last straggler.
This this this^^^^^
Like I said B, you do much more than you give yourself credit for
I too love to see the young ones(and old) get a taste of humble pie.......it is good for us all.
SO many kids nowadays are being sheltered in a way that cant possibly last forever.....nor should it.
|
| CaCO3Girl |
Posted - 01/18/2016 : 10:56:43
quote:
Originally posted by hshuler
@CaCO - Forget baseball, that'sounds a great life lesson.
I wish everyone felt that way hshuler, but thank you. Sadly, most parents I have come in contact with would be more likely to call the coach to say it was UNFAIR, you are WASTING my boys talent, I paid the same as everyone else he should be playing....etc....etc.
I am very serious when I say my ONLY jobs during the season are to drive the car and write the checks. Everything else is up to my son. |
| BamaDad |
Posted - 01/18/2016 : 10:52:10
quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
hshuler, parents not allowing their kid to fail is a rampant problem in today's society. The words extraordinary and special should be used sparingly. Instead parents are instilling a sense of entitlement into this generation. They think if they show up and sort of try it should automatically work out for them because every time it didn't their parents fixed it so it did. They get to high school and even college having never known true failure or adversity. It's a big problem.
BamaDad, welcome to the double edged sword of having a youth player who knows he is good. For my son the breaking point was 12u. I moved my son to a team with a hard nosed coach. If you didn't put in the effort and the practice you didn't play. It didn't matter what you were capable of it only mattered what you were doing at that moment.
It was a HUGE wake up call for my son to be benched the first two games of the fall season. He finally asked me why I thought he was benched since he "knew he was better than some of the kids out there". He actually thought the coach was just ignorant of his skills. I explained that Coach X doesn't HAVE to let you play, you have to earn your spot to play and you do that through working hard. Right now those other boys are working harder than you and they will become better than you because of that. Why would the coach waste his time on someone who isn't trying? The days of you coasting by on your natural ability are over. The boys who are playing are the boys that are working, you are not, so enjoy the bench. He said "But that's NOT fair!" I said "What's not fair is you thinking you are such hot stuff that you don't have to work. Hard work gets rewarded, having talent won't get you off the bench".
That could have been the end of baseball for him. I really hoped it wouldn't be but it wasn't my work ethic that was going to get him onto the field. He had to knock that chip off his shoulder and decide if he was willing to work to get what he wanted. Turned out he was willing and by Spring he was on the field pretty much every inning and leading the team as they jogged around the field instead of being the last straggler.
I really love the exchange that we have had on this topic and appreciate everyone's input that has been shared. I actually read some of your insight on here to my son as a wakeup call as well as pointing out that he is not alone in his erroneous thinking. This is his first year playing at the 'Major' level. He is realizing that he can no longer just show up, throw his cap on the field, and automatically be recognized as the best player there. Personally, I love it. He understands that your playing time is based directly on your practice time. No more showing up guaranteed to start. The frustration that he shows when not completely mastering something is both refreshing and reassuring to me. I get to see how much 'fight' he has in him. I let him know that this is how life will be as he gets older.
CaCO3Girl - Your "at that moment" statement made me smile. That is almost verbatim what I stress to my son everyday. It doesn't matter how good you think you are or how good you think you practice. What matters most is what you do "at the moment of truth". I explained to him that "the moment of truth" is when you have to 'walk the walk' and put it all into action when it counts. It doesn't matter if it is on the field, court, or even the classroom, you have to be able to deliver when it actually counts.
hshuler - Agreed, these are life lessons truly proving that "ball is life". |
| hshuler |
Posted - 01/18/2016 : 10:03:46
@CaCO - Forget baseball, that'sounds a great life lesson. |
| CaCO3Girl |
Posted - 01/18/2016 : 08:55:56
hshuler, parents not allowing their kid to fail is a rampant problem in today's society. The words extraordinary and special should be used sparingly. Instead parents are instilling a sense of entitlement into this generation. They think if they show up and sort of try it should automatically work out for them because every time it didn't their parents fixed it so it did. They get to high school and even college having never known true failure or adversity. It's a big problem.
BamaDad, welcome to the double edged sword of having a youth player who knows he is good. For my son the breaking point was 12u. I moved my son to a team with a hard nosed coach. If you didn't put in the effort and the practice you didn't play. It didn't matter what you were capable of it only mattered what you were doing at that moment.
It was a HUGE wake up call for my son to be benched the first two games of the fall season. He finally asked me why I thought he was benched since he "knew he was better than some of the kids out there". He actually thought the coach was just ignorant of his skills. I explained that Coach X doesn't HAVE to let you play, you have to earn your spot to play and you do that through working hard. Right now those other boys are working harder than you and they will become better than you because of that. Why would the coach waste his time on someone who isn't trying? The days of you coasting by on your natural ability are over. The boys who are playing are the boys that are working, you are not, so enjoy the bench. He said "But that's NOT fair!" I said "What's not fair is you thinking you are such hot stuff that you don't have to work. Hard work gets rewarded, having talent won't get you off the bench".
That could have been the end of baseball for him. I really hoped it wouldn't be but it wasn't my work ethic that was going to get him onto the field. He had to knock that chip off his shoulder and decide if he was willing to work to get what he wanted. Turned out he was willing and by Spring he was on the field pretty much every inning and leading the team as they jogged around the field instead of being the last straggler. |
| brball |
Posted - 01/17/2016 : 22:50:04
"Humble pie you taste so good"! |
| BamaDad |
Posted - 01/17/2016 : 20:13:14
@hshuler - You are singing my tune. I can't count the number of times that he has heard verbatim from an instructor something that I had previously told him. Most of the time, it was like he was hearing it for the first time. As for the humble pie, he had to digest a large slice of it today. I had been preaching to him to practice the hitting mechanics that he was taught in his last lesson. He blew me off and told me that he had it under control. Needless to say, he didn't have a good session today and the instructor really let him know that. I think it brought him down a peg and now he is self-motivated to work and correct his mistakes. Good stuff!! |
| hshuler |
Posted - 01/17/2016 : 18:11:37
@Bama - I recently asked my son what he was told to work on by coaches and he mentioned something that I told him about last year. Amazingly, he had no recollection of that conversation. :-)
This is how it goes:
Up to about 12 years-old...dads are the smartest beings on the planet.
12 years-old until he matures (age and maturity are not the same)...dads are dumbest beings on the planet.
Once he starts paying his own bills, you suddenly become a genius again. Especially when he needs to 'borrow' some scratch.
One last point, if your kid is stubborn don't be afraid to let him fail and taste a little humble pie. IMO, humble pie can be good in occasional small doses. Some parents want to jump in and rescue their kid at the first sign of adversity, thus robbing him potentially good life lessons. |
| BamaDad |
Posted - 01/17/2016 : 16:27:52
quote:
Originally posted by hshuler
@Bama - Reinforcement is a good thing. I have seen a few situations where dads would completely undermine coaching instruction because they THOUGHT they were more qualified.
I fully understand that not all instructors provide instruction that really makes a difference, but some dads...and moms, think they know best when they don't.
I am not referring to anyone on this post, especially since I don't know who you are. :-) It was a general statement.
This year, for the first time, I won't be my son's coach. I don't even attend practice because I know he's in good hands. This is a good bridge year (14u) for him to not hear my voice while he's in the batter's box before he attends high school next year. No matter how good your relationship is with your son, at some point, he will tune you out. He will just need to hear it from someone else.
hshuler - You actually hit two points here. I have accepted the fact that I am relegated to only "reinforcement" because my son has already begun "tuning me out" as an instructor even at 11U. I can completely understand not needing me for instruction because he is already under the tutelage of some of the best teachers in metro Atlanta. However, I hope that he will continue to look to me for reinforcement of those great lessons. I am learning to 'stay in my lane'.
|
| hshuler |
Posted - 01/17/2016 : 09:01:11
@Bama - Reinforcement is a good thing. I have seen a few situations where dads would completely undermine coaching instruction because they THOUGHT they were more qualified.
I fully understand that not all instructors provide instruction that really makes a difference, but some dads...and moms, think they know best when they don't.
I am not referring to anyone on this post, especially since I don't know who you are. :-) It was a general statement.
This year, for the first time, I won't be my son's coach. I don't even attend practice because I know he's in good hands. This is a good bridge year (14u) for him to not hear my voice while he's in the batter's box before he attends high school next year. No matter how good your relationship is with your son, at some point, he will tune you out. He will just need to hear it from someone else. |
| BamaDad |
Posted - 01/16/2016 : 20:57:10
It's not about thinking you can replace good live hitting instruction by watching videos and doing it yourself. A reputable and knowledgeable hitting instructor who can truly transfer the knowledge to your son is invaluable. However, what we CAN do is reinforce what is taught in the lesson. Regardless of how great the lesson is, without reinforcement and repetition of the mechanics taught, it will soon fade away. I agree with all of you that the kid needs to drive the car here. If my son comes to me to go over what he learned in the lesson, then I know he's all in and is not out there because I pushed him. As mentioned above, at the end of the day, it must be fun and worth his effort and dedication to him. |
| hshuler |
Posted - 01/16/2016 : 09:17:16
LaCrosse stick + old guy = ACL or Achilles surgery and 12 months of rehab. No thanks!
Seriously though, sounds like your son is self-motivated and you guys have a great relationship. At some point, not sure when that is, you have to entrust him to someone else.
|
| bfriendly |
Posted - 01/15/2016 : 22:33:17
I assure you B, this is about much more than just baseball. Its about trying to do things correctly. Learning how to do that as well as finding a better way, his own way.........with everything.......When you drive the car, what do you talk about? You do more than you think. Do you have positive conversations, or constantly beat up, or perhaps even try to falsely boost up an ego?
I have to drag his butt off the field as he'll want to keep going well after I'm wore out .
He started eating salads at school a few weeks ago. I do not make him do that. But I have to give credit to speed and agility workouts........I think they are much less painful when he has eaten good stuff versus bad stuff........and the more he does them.......nah, they are just as painful |
| CaCO3Girl |
Posted - 01/15/2016 : 08:06:11
quote:
Originally posted by bfriendly
All of us parents should be spending time with our kids and none of that time spent together would be considered wasted if its quality time. But doing something productive and seeing the fruits of that labor is so rewarding..........and fun
As long as it remains fun for the child. I recently had a conversation with a baseball mom I have known for years...her son is 14u right now and he announced last week that baseball wasn't fun anymore and he didn't want to play.
This is a baseball family, they did the private lessons, the specialized instruction, the special equipment, traveling to various states, dad practiced with the kid all the time...etc. The dad's reaction was "So, you mean you want to take a break from Travel, maybe play Rec?", the kid stayed strong and said, no, no more baseball. The dad couldn't accept this, he asked the kid if he wanted to go to the cages to talk about it...the kid sighed heavily and just kept saying "you aren't listening to me dad"...and he wasn't and still isn't.
If you want to play baseball in the back yard with your kid that is great, sounds like fun, but I encourage you to let him ask YOU to throw the ball or go to the cages so you don't turn into the dad who isn't listening to his kid.
I have two baseball rules I live by:
1. My job is to drive the car and write the checks...that's it, that's ALL I do from August-July.
2. It's not MY team, and it's not MY dream. If my son wants it then he's going to have to work for it. He knows he can ask me for whatever he needs, but my effort doesn't account for squat on that field, only his does. |
| bfriendly |
Posted - 01/14/2016 : 21:55:15
quote:
Originally posted by hshuler
Too many dads think that watching a Tom Emansky video qualifies them as a hitting instructor for their kid.
I couldn't imagine giving my son technical instruction if he played LaCrosse. I never played LaCrosse so I would have nothing to offer and would be perfectly fine with that.
The best instructors can only provide your kids with tools for success. The application is up to the student.
The most productive kids have the ability to mentally relax and deliver at "the moment of truth." Some kids have it and some need more development in that area.
Well said and good points as usual hshuler...thanks for chiming in I'd add some coaches think so too Tom Emansky, thats the one I remember seeing commercials for a long time ago....wasn't Fred McG in that one? THAT is a perfect example of a program spelled out, done a certain way. Any coach in that school of thought would be teaching the same way.....or so I'd imagine
But I'd bet you would learn how to throw a Lacrosse ball with your own stick in no time, if your kid picked up that game........You'd try to do it the correct way and probably try to learn from your kid, learning what he is learning...........I cant see you just out there doing a "Happy Gilmore" episode acting like a bunch of goof offs. It may be silly and fun, but in the back of your mind you'd be afraid this will happen in a game when it would not be much fun. Now throwing it accurately, from different angles, after a good spin would also be fun. It might also accomplish something, and perhaps that would show up in a game...that would be fun now wouldn't it?
All of us parents should be spending time with our kids and none of that time spent together would be considered wasted if its quality time. But doing something productive and seeing the fruits of that labor is so rewarding..........and fun |
| hshuler |
Posted - 01/12/2016 : 21:52:30
Too many dads think that watching a Tom Emansky video qualifies them as a hitting instructor for their kid.
I couldn't imagine giving my son technical instruction if he played LaCrosse. I never played LaCrosse so I would have nothing to offer and would be perfectly fine with that.
The best instructors can only provide your kids with tools for success. The application is up to the student.
The most productive kids have the ability to mentally relax and deliver at "the moment of truth." Some kids have it and some need more development in that area.
|
| BamaDad |
Posted - 01/12/2016 : 18:21:21
quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
quote:
Originally posted by bfriendly
Back to original point......How do you know the difference?
Results, that's how. To be blunt, us parents aren't suppose to know the difference.
Get references, but understand what works for Tommy may not work for Johny. I have had pretty good luck with legitimate training locations. 643 has bio's on all of their coaches online that you can book a lesson with. As does East Cobb, Fury Performance training, Titans Sports Academy, JCS...to name a few near you. All have legitimate instructors that are hired to BE baseball instructors.
The last thing you want is some random coach say "Oh, I'm sure I could teach him something." You want to find a training facility with real trainers.
Agreed. All hitting instructors are not created equal as all hitters are not the same. The first instructor training my son at 10 taught him about "squishing the bug". A year later, his team coach taught him to hold his hand lower and closer to the swing zone. Now, in lessons at a top academy, the instructors have thrown both of those instructions out with the trash. There is no comparison between the lessons with the first two instructors and what he is receiving at the academy. You can get a few lessons at a reputable academy and reinforce the lessons on your own to hold down costs if need be. It all depends on what your son can handle and what his goals are as a hitter and all-around player. |
| CaCO3Girl |
Posted - 01/12/2016 : 15:29:48
quote:
Originally posted by bfriendly
Back to original point......How do you know the difference?
Results, that's how. To be blunt, us parents aren't suppose to know the difference.
Get references, but understand what works for Tommy may not work for Johny. I have had pretty good luck with legitimate training locations. 643 has bio's on all of their coaches online that you can book a lesson with. As does East Cobb, Fury Performance training, Titans Sports Academy, JCS...to name a few near you. All have legitimate instructors that are hired to BE baseball instructors.
The last thing you want is some random coach say "Oh, I'm sure I could teach him something." You want to find a training facility with real trainers.
|
| bfriendly |
Posted - 01/12/2016 : 09:32:19
You made another really good point Bamadad about grooving with the use of pitching machines.......I think I wont be set against them so much anymore. I think I have a few tokens left anywho
I do take the tee with us to the field quite a bit...Boy the kids hate that thing.....lol
Back to original point......How do you know the difference? I was ok with a coach "Teaching" my son to go down and get level with the low pitch . I didnt know what was good or bad baseball instruction, obviously.
Even parental references. Just because a certain family Loves a certain instructor doesn't qualify them........I not only watch(and record) my sons one on ones, but I watch other instructors working with other kids too . Often times I will have my son watch with me when I see something really impressive.....One thing for sure, there are a LOT of instructors out there. With so many instructors out there, there has to be many bad ones as well as good ones...in fact, I would bet there are many MORE bad ones than there are Really Good ones.
Oh yea, I haven't been pressured to buy anything outside of any budget that was already agreed upon.
BTW-I really appreciate those who have taken into this conversation and invite anyone else with any ideas or input they care to share to just jump in! On ALL the forums! I love this place and all you baseball folks!
I cannot think of anything I enjoy more than spending quality time with my kid. I am not trying to get him to the MLB, but I do like keeping him off the video games
If anyone is close to the City of Acworth, hit me up if you'd like to join us some time......
|
| BamaDad |
Posted - 01/11/2016 : 17:30:05
quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
quote:
Originally posted by bfriendly
Certain teams at certain academies typically have their own instructors and you kind of get what you get. Especially if your practice will have one on one instruction.
There's your sign!
Some teams have honestly conned parents into thinking it is perfectly acceptable to say "You must sign a contract, you must ONLY get instruction from here, AND you must purchase X amount of private lessons per month from OUR instructors."
THIS IS A SCAM AND A CROCK! Don't fall for it.
If you think the team instructors aren't teaching your child the right thing you have to ask yourself....are they the problem, or are you/your kid? One would hope that any baseball person hired to teach their expertise will deliver. If they turn out to be idiots who can do, but not teach, then that is your coaches fault for not vetting them properly, and in turn your problem for picking a poor coach.
I have seen many well qualified coaches not be able to get results out of a kid and it usually boils down to two reasons. One, the kid just won't listen and won't try anything new, they are uncoachable and unwilling to change. Two, the parent thinks they know better, so once they leave the practice field the parent un-does anything the instructor just did. "Don't listen about that XXX thing he tried to get to correct, you do it just fine or you wouldn't be hitting right?" Well meaning parents can really hurt their kid sometimes.
To your comment regarding batters should be the same from 7 to MLB, you should enjoy this article. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2606566-building-mlbs-perfect-hitter-piece-by-piece?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=mlb
CaCO3Girl, my son played for a team that had those 'stipulations'. The coach promised one-on-one training with each child and asked that you run any outside coach's name by him to see if their instruction was similar. The coach's premise was that he didn't want to have to "untrain" the kids if they received "some bad instruction" in his words. He said that this would double the necessary instruction time. Needless to say, we left that situation because it was that coach's instruction that I felt was lacking. If a team's budget doesn't include outside training that I see as being effective, then that is not a team that I want to see my son playing on. |
| BamaDad |
Posted - 01/11/2016 : 12:48:34
quote:
Originally posted by bfriendly
quote:
Originally posted by Critical Mass
Spend your time asking for references, checking on the credentials of the coach and find out who excelled that was taught by him and why? You'll drive yourself bananas watching youtube videos. There are many solid coaches in the metro area who teach kids how to hit. None of that matters if your kid doesnt practice when he isnt at lessons.
You and bamadad are spot on, but See, that is where is gets tough as well. Certain teams at certain academies typically have their own instructors and you kind of get what you get. Especially if your practice will have one on one instruction.
In Blue I think matters most.........I truly believe the reason my Nicholas looks so comfortable in the box is because he sees so many pitches from me. Not the batting cages where the ball goes the same place, at the same speed over and over.......I am talking Live pitching from a dad who struggles to throw strikes sometimes. Throws different speeds, sliders(he kills mine) and quite frankly, there is no telling where the ball is going sometimes
That is pretty much where this whole thread came from...........We practice a lot, but I want to make sure we do it with a purpose, and CORRECTLY!
I will pretty much always start him out with 1 or 2 "focus" items for the session, that we will work on. I wont throw a pitch if he is not squared up with a good stance and if he swings way off balance we immediately address it. He has developed a routine he seldom deviates from.
Right now we are mostly working on his lower half......some of his past lessons(which we worked very hard on at home of course), simply were not fundamentally sound as interpreted. Can anyone say "Stay back"?
I agree with you bfriendly about the batting machines. Throwing pitches at the same speed in nearly the same spot is not realistic. Personally, I hate them. But while they may not help so much with the 'eyes', it allows for repetitive swings working on the other components of a good swing. I use them to address proper alignment when addressing the ball, proper weight transfer in the lower body, and keeping the hands on top of the ball and ahead of the barrel. For 'eye training' for recognition of pitch speed and location, nothing beats live pitching in the batting cage as you mention above. I know that I am doing my job with my poor pitching when my son tells me that I caught him off-guard with a changeup or painting the outside corner. As you stated, nothing else is better for training their eyes to look "middle-out" for pitch location or to "stay back" on the pitch to address speed change. |
| CaCO3Girl |
Posted - 01/11/2016 : 10:23:32
quote:
Originally posted by bfriendly
Certain teams at certain academies typically have their own instructors and you kind of get what you get. Especially if your practice will have one on one instruction.
There's your sign!
Some teams have honestly conned parents into thinking it is perfectly acceptable to say "You must sign a contract, you must ONLY get instruction from here, AND you must purchase X amount of private lessons per month from OUR instructors."
THIS IS A SCAM AND A CROCK! Don't fall for it.
If you think the team instructors aren't teaching your child the right thing you have to ask yourself....are they the problem, or are you/your kid? One would hope that any baseball person hired to teach their expertise will deliver. If they turn out to be idiots who can do, but not teach, then that is your coaches fault for not vetting them properly, and in turn your problem for picking a poor coach.
I have seen many well qualified coaches not be able to get results out of a kid and it usually boils down to two reasons. One, the kid just won't listen and won't try anything new, they are uncoachable and unwilling to change. Two, the parent thinks they know better, so once they leave the practice field the parent un-does anything the instructor just did. "Don't listen about that XXX thing he tried to get to correct, you do it just fine or you wouldn't be hitting right?" Well meaning parents can really hurt their kid sometimes.
To your comment regarding batters should be the same from 7 to MLB, you should enjoy this article. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2606566-building-mlbs-perfect-hitter-piece-by-piece?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=mlb
|
| bfriendly |
Posted - 01/11/2016 : 09:28:24
quote:
Originally posted by Critical Mass
Spend your time asking for references, checking on the credentials of the coach and find out who excelled that was taught by him and why? You'll drive yourself bananas watching youtube videos. There are many solid coaches in the metro area who teach kids how to hit. None of that matters if your kid doesnt practice when he isnt at lessons.
You and bamadad are spot on, but See, that is where is gets tough as well. Certain teams at certain academies typically have their own instructors and you kind of get what you get. Especially if your practice will have one on one instruction.
In Blue I think matters most.........I truly believe the reason my Nicholas looks so comfortable in the box is because he sees so many pitches from me. Not the batting cages where the ball goes the same place, at the same speed over and over.......I am talking Live pitching from a dad who struggles to throw strikes sometimes. Throws different speeds, sliders(he kills mine) and quite frankly, there is no telling where the ball is going sometimes
That is pretty much where this whole thread came from...........We practice a lot, but I want to make sure we do it with a purpose, and CORRECTLY!
I will pretty much always start him out with 1 or 2 "focus" items for the session, that we will work on. I wont throw a pitch if he is not squared up with a good stance and if he swings way off balance we immediately address it. He has developed a routine he seldom deviates from.
Right now we are mostly working on his lower half......some of his past lessons(which we worked very hard on at home of course), simply were not fundamentally sound as interpreted. Can anyone say "Stay back"?
|
| BamaDad |
Posted - 01/09/2016 : 21:07:35
quote:
Originally posted by Critical Mass
Spend your time asking for references, checking on the credentials of the coach and find out who excelled that was taught by him and why? You'll drive yourself bananas watching youtube videos. There are many solid coaches in the metro area who teach kids how to hit. None of that matters if your kid doesnt practice when he isnt at lessons.
Agree Critical Mass. That's why I always stay and observe my son's lessons. First, it allows me to see the quality of the instruction and also to see if the instructor is reaching my son. Second, it allows me to reinforce the lesson when we are on our own as you mention above. Just as your son can't absorb all of the lessons taught in school without homework, neither will he absorb the instruction from the hitting coach without doing 'homework'. Fast hands and a 'good eye' may be God-given, but proper hitting mechanics are learned. |
| Critical Mass |
Posted - 01/09/2016 : 17:46:52
Spend your time asking for references, checking on the credentials of the coach and find out who excelled that was taught by him and why? You'll drive yourself bananas watching youtube videos. There are many solid coaches in the metro area who teach kids how to hit. None of that matters if your kid doesnt practice when he isnt at lessons. |
|
|
| Georgia Travel Baseball - NWBA |
© 2000-22 NWBA |
 |
|
|
