Posted by: Jason (delaneylohr@hotmail.com) on Sat Mar 17 18:59:27 2007

> I have been teaching the rotational hitting mechanics to my players
> (13 & 14 year olds) for the last three weeks.
>
> I video recorded them and checked their mechanics.
> They appear to be doing well (despite a few imperfections) during
> practice.
> They would hit off the coach and they would hit off our two
> pitching machines.
>
> During a scrimmage game last night though, they kept missing the ball and some would fall back to bad mechanics.
>
> I am frustrated since I worked so hard with them.
> Even the ones that apparently kept their mechanics were missing the ball.
>
> Is this psychological or what?
>
> What drills can I do to get them to calm down and hit the ball?
>
> I am opened to suggestions.
>
> p.s. I do not yell at them so the stress is not coming from me. :-)


Alex,

The most important aspect of hitting isn't mechanics or bat speed or any drill you could do with them. The great hitters all possess one thing, CONFIDENCE. It has been said that it takes 3000 swing to cure a swing flaw, unless you hit everyday for those couple of months they are most likely not 100% confident in their swings yet. Do everything to build that confidence and nothing to destroy it. The main thing is don't address swing mechanics during games, let them dance with the one they brought. Take a note pad to the games and jot down some of the things you see and teach at practice. Restore their confidence, I had a coach that used to say "It's not what you did in your last at bat it's what you do in your next at bat.

Jason