Alright, so a buddy of mine asked me to help his kid learn how to hit a baseball. I played a little ball back in the day, so I figured, “Why not?” Here’s how the whole thing went down, step-by-step.
Getting Started: The Basics
First, I grabbed a bat, a bucket of balls, and a tee. We headed out to the local park – gotta have some open space, you know?
Before we even touched a ball, I showed him the grip.
- Knuckles: I told him to line up his knocking knuckles – that’s the ones you’d use to knock on a door. This isn’t a death grip, just firm enough.
- Stance: Feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent a little, like you’re about to sit down but changed your mind. Weight balanced, not leaning too far forward or back.
- Bat Position: Bat up, off the shoulder, kinda waving it around a bit to stay loose. Elbows out – not tucked in like a chicken!
Tee Time: Building the Swing
Next,I put a ball on the tee. This is all about getting the swing right, not about crushing it into the next county.
- Eyes on the Ball: I kept hammering this home. Watch the ball, all the way from the tee to the bat.
- The Swing: It is a smooth motion, I told him the swing motion, not a wild chop. I demonstrated a few times, showing how to rotate the hips and keep the bat level. And Stepping into the ball when you swing!
- Contact: Aim to hit the ball square, right in the sweet spot of the bat. We listened for that solid “thwack” sound.
- Follow Through: Don’t stop after hitting the ball! Finish the swing, bat going all the way around.
Practice Makes Perfect(ish)
We spent a good hour just hitting off the tee. I adjusted his grip a few times, reminded him to keep his eye on the ball, and offered encouragement. It’s all about repetition, building that muscle memory.
Soft Toss: Adding Some Motion
After the tee, I switched to soft toss. I kneeled down a few feet away and tossed the ball underhand, nice and easy.
- I told the kid don’t rush the swing.
Wrapping Up
We finished up with some more soft toss. He was definitely getting better – more solid contact, better swings. He was tired, but stoked.
- We will try to practice a couple of times a week.
- I suggested him to watch some baseball games, see how the pros do it.
It’s all about practice, patience, and having fun. That’s my playbook for teaching a kid to hit a baseball. Hope this helps someone else out there!
