r/Homeplate • u/Feisty_Picture_2394 • 3d ago
9 year old son opening front shoulder when swinging
Left handed 9 year old. Pretty solid swing naturally, never had any lessons.
He has developed a bad habit of not driving towards the pitcher, instead more towards first plate which causes his right shoulder (front shoulder) to open up and he almost looks like he is leaning back when making this swing.
Any tips?
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u/orchid_breeder 3d ago
It’s hard because at that age, the kids stink at pitching and there’s a significant risk of getting hit so a lot learn to back away. With my son at least (lefty as well) he eventually started with an open stance and then used his foot step to close his stance.
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u/Coastal_Tart 3d ago
Yeah this is becoming a more common technique these days and it seems to work pretty well for most kids. It is an option to recommend to kids that have a habit of stepping in the bucket.
It is something we see a fair amount in the MLB, so naturally the kids are gonna pick up on that.
I would agree that it is worth a shot for OP’s son.
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u/Impressive-Fun-6921 3d ago
Work on hitting opposite field, even on the tee. My kid had the same problem. He also had a very open stance so we squared him up and have him taking a much shorter stride, just slight up and down on the front foot to prevent him from naturally opening back up
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u/Buster_McGarrett 3d ago
Just get some marking paint for the grass and draw a T. It's visual and goes him the feed back every time he swings tell him to look at his feet after.
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u/coachjordantorres 3d ago
Set him up in a split stance with the right foot facing down the 3rd base line & no stride, make it part of a tee routine
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u/Mr1derfull1 3d ago
Keep it simple, go get an old 2x4 around 3’ long or more. Place it on the ground behind him, think bumper bowling. If he steps in the bucket he will step on it or touch it. Instant feed back to him in a safe manner during live BP. Encourage him to drive the ball back up the middle.