Posted by: Jayson (davis257@msn.com) on Thu Jun 21 06:17:45 2007

I feel your pain as I have a 10 and 12 year old that play on USSSA traveling teams. It is amazing how quick they can go into a funk, and when doubt or fear sets in, they forget about all the training, instructions, and technique. But to your question, I would suggest more live pitching from boys his age (let your best pitchers pitch to your hitters). Coaches tend to groove the ball in batting practice, and most 10 year old pitchers don't have the ability to do so. He may be too selective. Also, encourage him to be aggressive at the plate, get the bathead through the strike zone, and use the techniques listed in this website. Good ten year old teams will take the first pitch (to make the pitcher throw strikes), unless it is a fastball on the inside half of the plate and it is one the hitter feels that he can drive. I love this website, and Jack's techniques truely work. My 12 year old is about 5 ft 3 and weighs ~110 lbs and has hit 300 ft home runs in travel ball this year. But... he went through a spell where started loading too much, let the ball get too deep in the strike zone, and quit hitting the ball out front. This resulted in hitting for less power and average. Then doubt, fear, frustration, etc... set in, and he started being way too selective and strcuk out looking a few times. I believe that he is out of it now, and back to hitting the baseball.