Oftentimes with younger hitters who are just learning to swing a bat, they are never really set up for success, even from the beginning. Their feet are too narrow or too wide or pointing out like a duck or uneven, their hands are in a bad position, the list goes on and on. The first video below explains how to get your child in a better starting position so they can have more success off the tee or in games!
The hinge and go drill is a simple drill that can be applied to any hitter that has decent balance and body awareness. Some younger players may be able to do this drill but it focuses on loading the hips properly and teaching the hitter to move forward to balance when they stride. This can be done with young hitters, but do not do this drill with players who can't stride straight nor know how to hinge at the hips. It can be done when hitters move athletically and can control their body.
From a very young age, players begin having practices at least once a week. This is a great chance to make improvements, but oftentimes, they are just being taught things that are going to hold them back. This happens when little league dads scramble home from work to throw on their athletic clothes just to throw batting practice and hit off a tee. Instead of just letting players get away with poor mechanics when hitting off the tee, all you need to do is pay attention, and look for some of the things I point out in these videos! Take the time to actually help your hitter turn correctly with their head back and they will succeed and develop much faster
Dropping your hands in your swing is a very common flaw for youth hitters due to nearly any bat being heavy because of their lack of physical development. Therefore, players often drop their hands early and immediately get disconnected, resulting in a poor bat path. This will only frustrate and aggravate them because they won’t make solid contact. Using a high tee teaches them to keep their hands up and have a more connected swing. They might struggle at first, but those reps where they miss under the ball will only encourage them to make the change even at the tee ball level!
Understanding the turn as early as tee ball is extremely important for early development. Being able to rotate properly at a young age can fix a lot of problems in the swing. Getting into a stronger base, striding correctly, and turning while keeping the head back are all key to a great swing, Even if your player is under 10 years old! At Baseball Rebellion, we use the Rebel’s Rack to teach our hitters to do everything I just mentioned and more, so you may want to consider looking into it as well as the Rebel’s Rack Certification. Teaching the turn in the swing is much better with the bat being out of your hand in the beginning stages. Learn the turn and you will succeed!
