Tuesday Tips to Tattoo the Ball
People, who have ever been around a batting cage, hear one word spoken repeatedly. In fact knowing this one word makes one sound like an expert when talking to baseball batters. The word I am talking about is "stay" and youth baseball instruction for good hitting begins with this word. We use the word stay because players tend to lunge and try to swing out of their cleats, but we need them to learn these stay basics.
Many youth players get anxious at the plate and have difficulty waiting for the ball. So many youth players complain when pitchers throw slowly because they want to jump out to the ball. I am constantly reminding hitters that the ball will not stop in midair so they must learn to "Stay back" and wait for it to enter the hitting zone. The best way to do that is with a soft stride and a compact swing.
A key to good hitting is hitting the side of the ball closest to them on all pitches. In this way hitters us the whole field, foul off tough pitches and drive the ball with power. The best way to practice those is first with a batting tee and then by hitting balls in the direction of where the ball was located at home plate inside, middle or outside.
Remaining balanced is crucial with hitting to keep a steady head and eyes, an absolute for squaring balls up on the bat. Additionally, balance helps players run out of the batter's box quickly to increase their chances of getting base hits. A great way of working on hitting balance is to have players "freeze" on follow-throughs in batting practice without falling around.
Many youth hitters have the "wait and get a good pitch" mindset, which often puts them on the defensive. A better way of staying ready to hit is always expecting the next pitch to be their pitch and one to swing at. This latter attitude creates a more offensive mind, one that is ready to hit.
It is easy for young baseball players to have their mind wander away from what is important when batting the ball. Good baseball coaches help players by reminding them to "see the ball" without inundating them with a number of mechanical hitting instructions.
Many kids lose confidence because hitting is a difficult skill to master. However, confidence is necessary so coaches should do their best to keep players optimistic. The baseball saying, "It only takes one," is true and a good way to keep players focused and confident. Finally, coaches, who are not sure what to do to help youth ballplayers, can simply remember the word "stay" to be helpful.
After playing major league baseball, Jack Perconte has taught baseball and softball since 1988 and offered valuable coaching training too. He has helped numerous youth players reach their potential, as well as having helped parents and coaches navigate their way through the challenging world of youth sports. Jack is one of the leading authorities in the areas of youth baseball training and coaching training advice.
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