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Old 04-13-2012, 10:21 AM   #10
shilala
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Default Re: How do You Create a Competitive Mindset for Your Child?

I taught hundreds of girls to hit over the years, Andy. I had two teams in the same league for lots of years, and I did hitting clinics for the league. The girls always told the story of my first time I hit left handed, and it got me a lot of stroke. They tried for years to get me to go lefty because I can't hit off the left side. Never practiced, had no need. Finally I relented, it was after hitting practice, and I called my shot over the right field fence (I knew I'd pull it and I was just being a smartass.)
One pitch and I jacked it about 100 feet past the fence. I have no earthly clue how it happened, I just got real lucky. The silence was deafening.
Once I had their attention, lol...
The only way I found to get them excited is to show them how to do it, get their form down, and let them start powering the ball around.
It took me a long, long time for my daughters to listen to me. I went so far as to pass them off to my buddy Rick who also coached (with me a lot of times) and was an excellent hitting coach. He didn't have much luck.
What ultimately showed my daughters that I knew what I was talking about was when I taught all the Barr girls how to hit. I had the youngest for years and she could hit if she didn't let her bat drop. She was a lefty so I started her from both sides of the plate when she was about 5 or 6. Her sisters were homerun machines in the waiting, I just made a couple adjustments and they absolutely went insane. They kicked our team's ass soundly that year, too.
But that's what it took for my youngest to listen to me. Her really good friends getting a LOT better by staying after practice and asking me for help. (The Barr girls would wait through our practice just so I'd stay after with them.)
The oldest just got tired of sucking. She was far more hard-headed though. I'd get her hitting, then she'd go back to bad habits. She really didn't have the desire or capacity to think or remember or work, she just wanted the glory. She could turn it on and off with a little help, so she never progressed beyond spotty mediocrity. When she was on, she was on. You could see from her stance when she was finished hitting.
My Rebekah, she can mash the ball. I wish she'd play this year, she's big enough now that she can easily power the ball. Zero fat and a big, thick, strong build she got from both me and her Mom. She runs like she's got a piano up her ass, but ya can't fix that.
Sometimes you just have to let them sulk a bit, but sometimes they'll sulk right till they quit. Try the stealth achievement in front of her face angle and see if she notices. Ask her friends on the team to get in her head, too. Ask your best hitter to work with her (as a personal favor to you because she's so badass, of course).
You'll crack her, brother.
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