Posted by: Andy Proctor (aproctor@ix.netcom.com) on Tue Apr 2 13:17:42 2002

Jack - just received your video Saturday morning, watched it Saturday afternoon and evening (hey, I had practice at 12:00!), and was amazed by what I saw (a little bored by the presentation, by amazed nonetheless).
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> So, by accident, I catch replays of the 2000 and 2001 Home Run Derby contests for MLB at the All Star Break, steal a video tape from the wife, video the long-ballers, then watch them freeze-frame by freeze-frame.
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Jim...we've been working with 12u on rotational hitting techniques for about 12 months...and think we have a pretty good grasp of the 2 elements (1) bottom hand torque and (2) top hand torque. From our experience, don't even think about talking about top hand torque...just focus on bottom hand torque via a) good lower body mechanics, b) nice tight linkage with the lead arm (back elbow down), and 3) shoulder rotation. We do all of Jack's "bag drills". To introduce the concepts we set them up in the "wham position" using 2 pictures of Bonds and McGwire we got off the net that shows the contact point behind the lead knee...then from the "wham position" we use Jack's "welded wheel" to rotate the arm/shoulder structure back into the launch position...then back to wham, etc...with and without the bag. The emphasis is on a flat top wrist that only extends at the bottom and a loose top hand. We are seeing tremendouse results...2 of my bigger 12 year-olds are hitting the ball 275-300 feet and the smaller 10 year olds are now capable of line drives 180-200. It is "simple" once you can see it...but complex to teach...but when they get it...oh boy...watch out!

Coach Andy


> Gadzooks! They all do EXACTLY what you say is the way to hit the ball HARD.
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> So, I am excited, and confused. What I thought I knew, I don't know. And this new knowledge, wow, it seems powerful.
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> So - my question: what's the best way to go about teaching 11 and 12 year olds to do it right, to go for the long ball...
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> All ears....
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> Coach Jim