Mental Tips

JMO

When I see a hitter struggle that has shown the ability to be a very good hitter the first thing I look at are the basic mechanics of the swing. Usually they are still solid but we go back and do a little work to make sure. The vast majority of the time this hitter is pressing. They are trying to get two hits in one ab. They are trying too hard. My advice is to stop taking it so seriously and just relax. Stop thinking and just hit. When your having fun and your not pressing its amazing how much better you perform.

I honestly tell kids "Act like you could careless if you get on or not. Just go up there and have some fun." When you want something so bad and you are trying so hard to get it , it actually becomes much harder to get. Just relax , put a smile on your face and have some fun. It will be ok.

 

To much credit

Guru gives me to much credit but I think we all went immediately at the softball aspect and could have missed the problem.
Let's look, senior, getting ready to end a HS career, leave many of friends, move on to college to unfamiliar surroundings with added pressure of a softball career, living away from home, major to figure out, dorm, roommate, class schedule, workout requirements from the college coach, clothes, shopping, final exam for HS, graduation, possibly boy friend being left behind? Am I starting to make some sense?
I say, take a weekend off, go to a place she enjoys, take in a movie, shop a little, have a nice dinner in a place where you can talk about things, past, present, and future, and I got a feeling you will learn what is going on and she will see you are supportive, caring, parents that will go to endless lengths to help her through any possible issues and that this is just a new life opening up that will be some of best times of her life! Hey, a little family prayer can help as well!
Now softball, have her hit some beans with a bat, yea beans! Once she can hit those freely, the softball will look like a pumpkin! Once she is confident with beans, soft toss, correct mechanics a little at a time, and praise when things work! She will be ready for all this cause you have helped her relax and have taken all pressure off! Forgot a major part, smile and have fun! LOL hope I am worth Guru's praise!

 

Good post!

This post is a timely one for my DD...lifetime .515 high school hitter and in her first year of D1 has struggled at the plate. Her school hired a new, young, female hitting coach that teaches a linear style of hitting and my DD has always been a rotational type hitter with excellent power...they changed her swing and she has struggled to get the ball off the ground.

In high school whenever she would go into a slump, I would take her to the eye doctor and have her eyes checked or buy her a new bat...both seemed to help put her at ease even when there was nothing wrong and she would immediately start hitting better. I agree with the thought that senior year puts a lot of pressure on the girls mentally, I saw it in mine.

We had a good discussion last weekend after a game and I talked to her about having fun and relaxing in the box and trying to use more of a rotational swing and block out the last few games. Yesterday she had a hit that drove in the tying run in a game and then hit a home run to get them back in another game. I think that the difference is all about relaxation and attitude. Life is hard...softball is fun!!

To the DD who is struggling...take the weekend off, relax and be a teenager. Sometimes stepping back and not thinking about something will help put things in perspective when you go back to practice on Monday.

 

Good post!

This post is a timely one for my DD...lifetime .515 high school hitter and in her first year of D1 has struggled at the plate. Her school hired a new, young, female hitting coach that teaches a linear style of hitting and my DD has always been a rotational type hitter with excellent power...they changed her swing and she has struggled to get the ball off the ground.

In high school whenever she would go into a slump, I would take her to the eye doctor and have her eyes checked or buy her a new bat...both seemed to help put her at ease even when there was nothing wrong and she would immediately start hitting better. I agree with the thought that senior year puts a lot of pressure on the girls mentally, I saw it in mine.

We had a good discussion last weekend after a game and I talked to her about having fun and relaxing in the box and trying to use more of a rotational swing and block out the last few games. Yesterday she had a hit that drove in the tying run in a game and then hit a home run to get them back in another game. I think that the difference is all about relaxation and attitude.

To the DD who is struggling...take the weekend off, relax and be a teenager. Sometimes stepping back and not thinking about something will help put things in perspective when you go back to practice on Monday.

 

A perfect example....

A perfect example of why YOU (Abbeyfan) are the WIZARD!!

 

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

I am going to suggest that she chokes up 1 milimeter and that will help her get around faster. That and just "see the ball and hit it". Hopefully that will help - if she justs hits it solid it will be a success.

 

If anyone really knew how to fix batting slumps, they would overnite become billionair's, the ball players that make up to 20,000,000 a year have slumps just as everone else that has ever played the sport,
Just get relaxed,(if possible) and work thru it......

 

whenever i get in a slump i first off try to take my swing slow, doing it the right way. then, when i get in the box i talk to myself, literally. tell yourself, "relax, have fun". ive found that this takes the pressure off for me and hopefully it works for you.