Ted Williams once said that the hardest skill in all of sports is hitting a baseball. That you are taking a round bat and hitting a round ball squarely. I am paraphrasing what he said. But, the point is made. Hitting isn't easy.
We began this discussion stating that things had changed from the old days. That is an understatement. Today parents are participants in this process more than ever. For example, coach pitch. An adult or parent pitches to the players. That was unheard of in my youth and has changed the mental development of young hitters.
In my opinion parents fail to recognize and prepare their kids for the change from coach pitch to player pitch. And, how to deal with facing hard throwers and then hopefully later hitting the curve ball.
I have witnessed young players who had the potential to become top high school players quit baseball at the age of 10 because they went from the safety of facing a parent pitch to player pitch. I have witnessed kids quit when they had to face a hard thrower and got hit by a pitch. And, being hit as a youngster can have a profound effect on how they deal with hitting the curve ball later in high school.
Here is what turned out to be a positive example. My son was playing in a fall league and we needed a player. So he asked his best friend to play. I'll call him Johnnie. So we picked up Johnnie and as we were driving to the game Johnnie said, "Brad, I've never played player pitch before and I'm a little scared of being hit by the pitch." I responded, "Johnnie when we get there I bet that the pitcher doesn't even throw as fast as your coach in coach pitch. And, also remember Johnnie, he doesn't want to hit you because then you will be on base and he doesn't want base runners."
During the game Johnnie batted three times and hit the ball hard ever time and had two nice hits. On the way home I told Johnnie that he had two nice hits and Johnnie said, "Brad you were right the pitcher didn't even throw as fast as my coach." I helped Johnnie get comfortable and have a positive experience that game. That's what you as parent need to try and do consistently with your player.
Things to avoid:
1. Telling your kid that the pitcher they will be facing is real good, throws real hard, has no control, hits a ton batters, or anything that could affect his approach at the plate.
2. Making a big deal about facing player pitch. Its just another step in his pathway to a good high school career, not a life threatening event.
3. Discussing how much it hurts to be hit by a pitch, or any stories about other players who have been injured.
How to prepare for player pitch:
First, you need to discuss the change before hand. And, use the three points above as guidelines to how you discuss it.
Second, point out the one on one competition between the pitcher and the hitter with each one trying to beat the other one.
Third, take your player into the backyard and with tennis balls throw at him/her. Show them how to turn their back to the pitched ball to avoid being hit in the face or front of the body. Have them practice avoiding being hit. Throw the ball pretty fast too. Its not everyday you get to bean your own kid. But, make it laughs and keep it fun.
Next Blog: Picking out the correct bat.
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