Batting

Updated Saturday March 11, 2017 by Administrator.

Stance: 

• Feet in straight line to pitcher, shoulder width apart, Knees slightly bent, Front foot even with side point of plate (to connect with ball in front of the player).   

• Front foot 3 steps (each the player’s shoe length) from plate
• Check:  A level bat swung with arms fully extended should hit center of plate in widest part of bat.  
• Check foot placement after every swing
• Recommendation:  Mark a perpendicular ‘toe line’ and a ‘midline’ in the batter box dirt (use a stick if on grass, or anything to mark it) that shows batter where to line up:  Body over ‘midline’, toes on ‘toe line’, so batter is in correct position to hit ball near end of bat with arms fully extended.
• How to hold the bat:  Front hand goes below back hand in grip (remind ‘em!), Hands together, Knuckles should be lined up, Bat slightly off shoulder, mostly vertical. 

Focus:

• Tee Ball:  Mark balls with a black dime size dot and place ball on T with same position every time.  Tell batter: eyes on the black dot.   Head stays down thru swing.  Correct every time if batter looks up early during swing.
• Coach pitch: Put a black dime‐size dot on half of the baseballs.  After each pitch ask the batter if the ball had a dot on it.  When they report which do and which don’t consistently, they’ve got their focus down.  Do first without swings, then with swinging at the pitch.

Swing: 

• Short step (the ‘stride’) with front foot, Back foot stays planted
• Swing down then level across
• Arms fully extended (elbows almost locked) at point of ball contact
• Head down, chin moves from touching front to back shoulder
• Rotate hips ‘open’ to face pitcher
• Front leg locked (straight) at point of ball contact

Follow‐thru: 

• Swing hard thru ball, not just ‘to’ ball
• ‘Squash the bug’ with full 90‐degree turn of back foot.  Back toes still in place firmly on ground
• Head down on plate, not looking up at pitcher or hit ball
• Finish with hands between shoulder and top of head
• Check swing with three things in follow thru:  Balance, two hands on bat, head down facing plate