My 12 year can't hit. Need help

[whitetailtrail]

Where are you located?

Consistently oppo and weak contact sounds like a hip/barred front arm issue.

There are several things that could be the culprit and without seeing him hit or working with him in the cage off a live arm it is all speculation.

[Grant2]

First thing check eyesight. Had a kid that could kill it in a cage and not in games finally went and had eyes checked back to hitting again after glasses or contacts. Second could be a hitch in his swing like a "J" looking swing but looks good from a distance. Third could be his feet not rotating enough and causes lower half not to drive through. Could be a number of things I would have to see it first.

[JustinB]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Here's some thoughts.

1. He's not afraid to get hit. He's a big strong kid and been hit plenty of times. He's not bailing out of the box. I have 2 other kids on my team that are afraid to get hit, so I know what that looks like.

2. We never use a pitching machine. I always throw batting practice to every player before the games. I have been considering having another coach or a player throw batting practice to him instead of me. Maybe challenge him a little bit. I throw good batting practice, so maybe that's what gives him confidence to cut loose in the cage. Some of you suggested having someone else throw BP to him and I think that's a great idea.

[SwampRabbit]

I find that most kids will be pretty honest with you up front. He said he is afraid to strike out. Work with that. That kinda says to me he is slow because he is second guessing what he is going to do. Form in just about everything falls apart if you second guess.

Seems like maybe it is time to have a math lesson with the kiddo. Explain what a .300 average really means. Kids at his age really can start grasping the strategy of any game; and if they don't have the strategy down or start understanding the numbers, it is easy for them to lose confidence in what it is they are doing. I see it all the time in other things. I played little league for a while when I was a kid and looking back, it amazed me how many folks coach the skills, but don't coach the game.

Time to pull out a deck of cards, some chips, and teach the kid how to play poker or black jack. Striking out is part of the game.

[JustinB]

3. I always encourage my players to be aggressive. I beg them to swing out of their shoes. They'll all do it, except for him!

[JustinB]

Good suggestion on his vision. I will make an eye appointment today.

[systemnt]

Maybe work on the checklists at the plate...
ie: where are the fielders positioned
where do I want to put the ball in play
what line to first to I run if I hit the ball here...or here..or here..
how big turn do I take if the ball goes here...
is that girl in the stands checking out my butt?

stuff to get them out of thinking about the pitch, striking out, or getting a weak hit..

[systemnt]

One of the slogans I use with Tanner is "Swing hard and fast EVERY TIME... in case you hit the ball"

[Sleepy]

Just to add one more thing. I know some are saying the oppo and weak hits could be due to mechanics, but if he crushes the ball in batting practice, then he probably doesn't have a big mechanic issue for his age. He knows how to swing. But he could possibly be creating bad mechanics at the plate during the game because his mentality isn't in the right place. Not having the right mental state will create bad mechanics.

[JustinB]

Just to add one more thing. I know some are saying the oppo and weak hits could be due to mechanics, but if he crushes the ball in batting practice, then he probably doesn't have a big mechanic issue for his age. He knows how to swing. But he could possibly be creating bad mechanics at the plate during the game because his mentality isn't in the right place. Not having the right mental state will create bad mechanics.

To me, this is THE PROBLEM. I mean, he's more coordinated and athletic than all but one other player on the team and gets considerably more reps at home. I need to keep working on his brain!

[bulltx50]

Need some help just Pm me and we can talk about the mental approach as well as a couple of drills that will go a long way in correcting any bad habits. Mental will be your biggest challenge. You will also find as your child grows it is not unusual to find one part of his swing or approach to be the one he struggles with for the rest of his time playing the game. Kids have way to much pressure today in a sport that was never intended to be played year round. As a kid growing up we played everything, never over working any particular muscle group or tendon structure. Not to mention the mental aspect of each game getting a break when we switched sports. It has to be fun, before success can be achieved. Played a long time and battled many different weaknesses in my game. Its the only game where you can fail 70% of the time at bat and still make the hall of fame. LOL Good Luck.

[JustinB]

Paris, Texas

[Stuck]

Good news is we've narrowed it down to 432 possibilities. No one here has seen his swing and I would bet 999 out of 1000 still couldn't tell you correctly what all is wrong with his swing. You need a good hitting coach. There are many ex players that give "lessons" but there are a few that are exceptional at explaining, seeing and correcting a swing. My advice is to find the best hitting coach in your area and spend some money on lessons. Right now every day he is practicing all the flaws in his swing. Get them corrected, practice makes permanent.

[Bullseye07]

I definitely don't think he's afraid to get hit. He's a catcher. He get's hit all game long.

I do think it's probably a mental thing. Something about stepping up to the plate in front of a crowd can mess with some kids. Especially if he ever failed at the plate in a big situation in the past. He needs to be able to tune everything out in a live game. I got to the point where you could've blown an air horn 5 ft behind me and I wouldn't have noticed.

Check his eyesight. He may be having trouble picking up the ball out of the pitchers' hand. Does he only hit opposite field in the cage also?

Only throw to him in the cage. Move closer when pitching in the cage. This forces him to pick up the ball faster, and react faster, without you having to throw harder.

Hire a good hitting coach. Explain to him what you're seeing and how your kid reacts. Even if it's not a mechanical issue, a good hitting coach can help him with the mental issues.

[Gclyde12]

Building off what I said earlier. While other pitchers are throwing bullpens or warming up have him stand in as if he was going through a live AB. I always found that pitchers liked me doing it as it helped them as much as it helped me. They were able to find release points for there pitches and made it more game like, and I got to see more live pitches and with each pitch thrown I would say to my self yes for swinging Or no for taking as soon as I could. This helps a ton once you get in a game with pitch recognition. I will be the first to tell you the longer you play the less you will practice as a team. Once you get to the college level practice will consist 75% of intrasqauds. You can't replace live competition with practice. All practice will be individual based when it comes to hitting.