Who Do You Copy

Here's an excerpt of a message I sent out to AAF members recently. I had quite a few responses from it, so I figured I'd share it here were others could check it out too.


When I got back into coaching, I saw a number of things that had changed since I played. One thing that comes to mind is the idea of eliminating the hitch, load, or any backward movement of the bat/hands prior to bringing the bat forward in a swing. The other thing that comes to mind is eliminating the stride from the hitting process.

Now, like I said last week, when I saw this, I tried to keep an open mind. Maybe these coaches had learned something I didn't know during the few years I was away from the game. Then I saw the US National Women's Team play. Do you think I saw anyone on that team trying to shoot their hands forward to the ball without going back first? Do you think I saw all of them swinging without a stride? Not really.

I've heard people say that if you make a back ward movement prior to "starting" your swing you'll be too slow. I've heard that strides are "just timing mechanisms" so you don't really need them. I've heard that the stride only "messes you up." I've even heard some players convinced that the stride messes up their timing. I've heard that the stride is the reason why some players are late on the ball. If they eliminate that stride, they'll be able to catch up to the faster pitches better. etc, etc, etc

When I heard all of this, I had to admit that I'd never tried hitting without a stride or without some kind of "load." So how would I know which way was really "better" or "right?" The answer: watch the best in the game and see what they do. Whenever I have a question about technique, whenever I doubt my own thoughts on the way I've "always done things" I take a look at what the best in the game are doing. Have they picked up "new and improved" techniques that I never used as a player? Sometimes, as in the case of dynamic stretching, the answer is yes. In other cases, I'd say, in most cases, the answer is no. But if I ever wonder, I just look to the best and try to learn from them.

I know I'll hear some people say, "Well, they are the best....they are the fastest, that's why they can afford to take a stride or go "back" with the hands, or use some other technique." To me, that's a backwards way of thinking. It's not "they are elite players so they CAN use that method or technique" .....to me it's "they are the elite players BECAUSE they use these correct/good/right techniques."

Take a look at your game. Are you doing what the best in the game are doing?