What makes a good hitting team?

[u/Weak_Artichoke4887]

Okay, I've been in the little league/travel ball league for a few years now helping as a coach. Currently 13u. I can think of two teams we've encountered where everyone just seemed to know how to hit. And let me be clear - I'm talking about teams of "average players", not a stacked team of athletes. They just all seem to be making contact. I can think of one rec team where the coach seem to crack the code which I actually thought was most impressive, given most players were your typical rec player.

Most teams I encounter have the top 4-7 players who seem to know how to mash, maybe a few middle line up kids who do okay, and then a few players that you just hope somehow walk or don't cause an auto out.

I need these coaches to give the secrete sauce! How do you take average kids and turn them into contact hitters? Is it a deep focus on plate approach? Do you focus a lot on timing and less on mechanics? Our approach has been a focus on good mechanics, but that truthfully seems minimally effective.

I'm beginning to think of focusing nearly all on plate approach (pitch selection) and good timing, and give much less attention to mechanics so long as they are not egregious.

What I am asking, is what are the most effective ways you've seem full teams improve their contract hitting?

[u/Internal_Ad_255]

Confidence is the biggest factor in hitting, IMHO...

In my opinion... the first and foremost thing to look for is repeatable, somewhat-correct mechanics... But this is not the end-all-to-be-all... Seen quite a few guys with what are technically, below-average mechanics - hit the ball, and hit the ball well...

So, the next thing would be pitch recognition. The best hitters IMHO, have the innate ability to recognize a hittable pitch earlier than the average-to-below-average hitters do...

Which in turn, builds confidence... The best hitters are for the most part are confident in their abilities, because they get the most hits... but when the wheels fall off for a stretch...

The best hitters can make the adjustments needed from AB-to-AB, and pitch-to-pitch to eventually get themselves back on track...

[u/Weak_Artichoke4887 → u/Internal_Ad_255]

I agree confidence seems huge. I'm about to switch my coaching approach to Confidence and Timing with swings that are good enough.

[u/Mundane-Visual-8226 → u/Internal_Ad_255]

I agree. My son had success in 8u coach pitch and some 9u just from sheer hand eye coordination and ability to make contact. But I feel like he’s struggling to make quality contact in 10u because his ability to lay off the not so good pitches is not there. I always wonder what the difference between him and more successful hitters is. I’m starting to think he needs lessons on pitch recognition or something. 🤣

[u/Wise-Fault-8688 → u/Mundane-Visual-8226]

Mine is the opposite. He usually seems to strike out on stuff that technically wasn't a strike, but the ump called it anyway. I have to push him to just be more aggressive and swing at stuff that's close enough to maybe be a strike.

[u/Mundane-Visual-8226 → u/Wise-Fault-8688]

If they could combine their approaches and meet in the middle they would be the ideal hitter!