Mom, Can You Teach Me How to Hit?

I've been involved with very young hitters for a few years now as a Little League "assistant dad," and although I certainly know a good batter's swing from a poor one, I know how hard it is to actually diagnose and then put into words the problems and solutions associated with kids' batting technique. This video does a fine job of pointing out the most common problems that young hitters actually exhibit, and of offering advice and drills that will help to overcome these problems.

The truth is that there is no "quick fix" that will instantly turn a struggling hitter into a game-winner. Kids have different levels of coordination and overall physical ability. But there is nothing like good technique in conjunction with "repetition, repetition, repetition" to build the muscle memory (a concept discussed in the video) necessary to becoming a first-rate baseball player, so people who purchase this fine video should realize that a child must do more than simply watch the presentation to improve his/her hitting. He or she must do at least some of the drills repeatedly, must practice (and WANT to practice), and must be willing to accept slow, steady progress toward the goal of maximizing his or her abilities. Associated with this, either the child's coach, a parent, or another interested adult must be willing to actively help the child improve his or her batting ability--the child can't do it alone.

As with all of these instructional videos, the presentation could have been a bit more polished. Bobby Woods' narration and instructions are very good, but he adds a few too many ingratiating references to the instructee as "Pal," etc. for my taste. A small matter.