Posted by: mpf (mford@uab.edu) on Wed Mar 8 18:44:18 2006

I am interested in some opinions. I discovered this site a year ago and with graduate degrees in motor learning and biomechanics, I believe the information is very solid. It makes sense.

I am part of a southern "baseball community" ages 4 - 18 where the theories, drills, etc. starts at the high school and are filtered down through our youth programs. I have been recently appointed to the board that oversees our youth programs and work with these kids year round. I have wonderful friendships with many of the fathers and high school coaches and have quickly gained the respect of many, despite being fairly new to this community.

I am completely on board with everything we (our baseball program) do except hitting. The hitting approaches taught to all the youth coaches are baseless (from a scientific standpoint). As an educator and researcher in the movement sciences it is painful to walk around the park and listen to the instructions give to these young kids. More painful was to go to our annual coach's clinic and see what they are teaching high schoolers. The "batspeed principles" are pretty simple: traing the big muscles to create rotatation and bat speed. These kids are taught to literally "throw" the hands/bat at the ball.

I have two young sons in our youth program. One is fortunate to hit from the left side. He has a natural lefty swing, good hitter and we are slowly working into a rotational swing. Actually he has it naturally just need to tighten it up. Recently, one of my friends was instructing my son to take his hands to the ball, top hand to the ball. I let it go and later talked with my friend about hitting theories. He listened and understood, but I don't think he was that sold on it. In the past year I have passed on some resources and knowledge related to pitching and throwing and that was very successful. Former Div IA and pro players were thankful and used the information with their youth pitchers. However, I am not sure how well rotational mechanics will be received.

My approach until recently was to keep to myself, teach my son and other players (whose parents are less involved) and leave kids alone who are going to special instructors etc. I can work with them and not screw up what someone else is wrongly teaching them (if that makes any sense). Our park is set up so that at a fairly young age a select group of kids, play rec ball, but also local travel ball. I will soon have a group of select kids and the opportunity to really shape their swings. I was thinking, let the results do the talking . . . that is one approach. I had also considered sitting down with one of HS coaches and discussing this. I know he would listen, but I am unsure how far it would get and I don't want to be perceived as "going against the grain"

I would appreciate any ideas. I have a bunch, but I would like to hear from others and if the opportunity arises talk to Jack personally. As a college professor in the movement sciences I hate to see so many kids getting wrong information, but my sons are successful and will continue to have opportunities in the park and I don't want to blow that.

I appreciate everyones time, this was a long message, but I am interested in others similar experiences and the way they handled it. I know this approach is right, the science is there, as we say in my field, this is true evidence based practice . . .

thanks

mpf