Swing on a flat plane and making solid contact
Reinforce a level swing path vs pop-ups or weak grounders.
Age
- 6U
- 8U
Time
- 15 min
Players
- 1 player
- 2 player
- Team
Equipment
Required
- Balls
- Helmet
- Batting Tee
Optional
- Hitting Net
How to Set It Up
- Target Marker:
Place a highly visibly marker about chest height on a surface that can be hit by a ball.
Batting Cage/Hitting Net/ - Tee Position:
Place the tee about 5 feet from the target.
Set the top of the batting tee even with the hitter’s waist.
How to Run the Drill
- Batter Stance:
Position the player opposite the tee in their standard athletic batting stance. - Swing Path:
Instruct the hitter to drive the ball directly into the tape marker on the net. - Form:
Keep elbow up.
Keep weight even through the swing.
Twist the back foot.
Keep the eye on the ball.
Keep hands in position on the bat. - Repetition volume:
Have each player take 6 to 8 swings per round before switching hitters. - Finish hold:
Tell hitters to hold their finish for two seconds after every swing to check balance.
Coaching Tips and Variations
- Palm alignment:
Cue hitters to finish with their front palm down and back palm up at contact. - Target adjustment:
Move the tape up or down to practice hit trajectories for high and low pitches. - Soft toss progression:
Move to Soft Toss using the same target once tee mechanics are consistent. - Focus cues:
Use the phrase drive through the middle to help young players avoid pulling off the ball.
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