Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat Jun 25 09:27:12 2005

>>> recently came across this site in search of some instructions on how to teach my 8 year old to hit the ball with greater authority. He is considered one of the best fielders in his league, but his hitting is has been a bit "soft". He has had about 6 hours of lessons from a couple of different instructors locally and I would say that the method taught would be linear. His form appears good by what I have been taught, again linear. But when he hits, and he makes contact often, the ball rarely gets out of the infield and is usually driven down. He rarely hits fly balls. Is the rotational method appropriate for a child this young and will it hurt his ability to consitently make contact with the ball? Also, if it is appropriate what is the best way to get him started?

Many thanks in advance. <<<

Hi Andy

The most important thing for very young players is to have fun and develop a love and enthusiasm for the game. However, baseball now starts at such an early age (Tee ball at 5 & 6), that having success at the plate is important in keeping their enthusiasm up. So, I don’t think 8 years is too young to begin teaching them.

Rotational principles are especially good for young players because it uses the larger muscles in their legs and torso to swing the bat-head around instead of relying on their arms. I would recommend that if you decide you want your son to acquire a rotational swing, you should not rely on someone else to teach him. I would suggest you learn to use rotational mechanics yourself and then teach them to your son – very few coaches understand rotational principles well enough to teach them.

Jack Mankin