Posted by: Coach Dad (dlpulter@loomislaw.com) on Tue Mar 23 07:10:29 2004

Hi, everyone.

I have coached my son since he was 4 years old. Last year, he played 8th grade ball, his last year before high school. He hit .400 for the season, easily the best hitter on the team. But, he wasn't the most powerful hitter on the team. He still uses the hitting style I taught him when he was 4. Keep the hands back of the trailing shoulder, keep the elbow on the trailing arm up. Step towards the pitcher and shift weight from front to back. (He doesn't do a good job of incorporating his hips into his swing, though).

He is now playing on his high school Junior Varsity team. The coach is teaching all the players a "compressed swing." When I coached years ago, we received NYSCA certifications and were required to listen to instructional videos. One of the videos dealt with the so-called "compressed swing." The video said that many of the colleges are using this swing, so it is better to teach your players at a young age. To do the compressed swing, the video told us to have our players put the handle of the bat on their belly button, and the barrel of the bat on a fence. Standing that close to the fence, they are to swing the bat without hitting the fence. Hence, the compressed swing.

Since my son's coach is requiring the team to use a compressed swing, I started looking on the internet for information on the techniques of the swing, because some of the information my son has been told doesn't sound too correct. For example, the coach told him to keep his weight balanced even when swinging through the ball. How can you do that? I have not found any websites that refer to the "compressed swing." Some call it a sweeping swing, but I am not sure they mean the same thing.

Can anyone tell me the proper mechanics for a compressed swing? Is that swing the type of swing that is being recommended on this website? I am torn because I want my son to listen to his coach and follow his coach's advise. But, this coach has never had good hitting teams, because he changes all their hitting styles at age 15 or 16 and none of the players feel comfortable with the hitting style. On the other hand, I know that my son could use some extra power in his swing, but I don't what him to lose his ability to hit the ball either. Can anyone give me some advice or pointers?

Thanks.

Coach Dad