Posted by: SteveA () on Mon Jul 7 11:02:00 2003

Sandman:

Was this friend the same one you posted about some time back on another forum, and whose swing you displayed next to your son's? As I recall, he exhibited some of the characteristics of a rotational swing, and the question was raised as to how he learned that swing, or if he somehow come by it accidentally. Just curious - did you ever get an answer to that question? Thanks.

I guess the tire hitting might depend upon the player's age/strength. If too young (< 10?), it might be too much shock for tender/growing wrists and other body parts.
>
> Though I have a friend in his late 30s, whose Dad setup a tire for him when he was about 10 or 11. The next season he hit 8 HRs, after having never hit one. Was it the tire or just an extra year of growth? (likely a bit of both)
>
> Having read about another option, I've let our players hit a deflated soccer ball off a tee to try to get a similar feeling of "having to follow through", but w/ less strain for youngsters.
>
> G'luck,
> Sandman