CoachMc writes "Coaches
and Dad want our youth baseball players to hit the ball hard and hit
the ball better, so we quickly start to run through our heads the
mechanics of the swing that we have heard or learned about. It is
usually harder than we thought it would be so we start scouring the
internet and our friends for baseball hitting tips for our
youth baseball player or team.
Learn to hit the ball
better and hit the ball hard !
As a
youth baseball coach I have a few rules I introduce and maintain thru
practices and games. These rules relate directly to the basic
baseball skills needed by youth baseball players to learn the game
and have the most fun.
Rule 1
- Always Watch the Ball
See
The Ball:
One of
the most common statements by good professional and college players
during hitting streaks is, “ I’m really seeing the ball well
right now.” From the first toss of a tee ball we tell our kids to
see the ball, and on up to the level of watching pitchers to see the
balls release point and any other tip that could give us an advantage
and hit the ball harder and better. We need baseball
hitting tips. We can not be the type of baseball hitter we want
to be without seeing the ball well. It determines much of our success
at the plate. We should place importance on seeing the ball just like
we do our hand location, stride, and swing mechanics.
“Keep
your eye on the ball!” is something we hear around all the time in
youth baseball parksl. I have never known a hitter who did not try
to see the ball. The question we should ask is.. when is he seeing
the ball and where is he picking the ball up from? We then can start
to teach ayouth baseball hitter the importance to focus on a
pitcher’s release point.
The
first thing is to know where
to look for the ball. If you can’t see it, you’ll never hit it.
Finding the pitcher’s release point, seeing the ball come out of
his hand, and how each pitch looks coming out of the hand is a skill
every baseball hitter needs to learn to hit the ball better.
Soft
Focus:
A
great baseball hitting tip is the soft focus. The soft focus point is
the hitter’s first focus point. At this time we are not totally
fixed on the release point, but on a general area near the release
point, such as the cap or chest of the pitcher. You know how if you
stare at something too long it becomes blurry? This avoids that from
happening. From the cap area it is easy to focus the eyes over to the
release point smoothly. The soft focus time is important because we
also have others things going on during this time. The soft focus
lets us stay relaxed while we are loading our body to get to hitting
position to hit the ball.
Hard
Focus:
When the
pitcher’s body pivots and his arm begins moving forward, your eyes
can then move to the release point. The
timing of the body ideally would be for the front foot to be down,
the hitter in a loaded position, and the eyes totally fixed on the
release point. From this point and time you have about 0.5 second to
see the ball, determine the pitch, determine location, and to make
the decision to swing or not.
Baseball
hitting tip - pick up the ball as soon as possible. The later you
pick the ball, the less time you have to do all the things to hit
the ball hard or at all. Many times this is where the hitter gets
beat which doesn’t have to be the case.
Baseball
Hitting Drills
See
the ball - Hit the ball ! Its simple bat that is where better
hitting begins.
"
