former USA National Team Hitting Coach;
3x MWC Coach of the Year (2009-11); has led BYU to six conference championship titles; over 400 career victories; in 10 years as head coach, Eakin has guided BYU to the top-10 nationally six times in slugging percentage, six times in home runs per game, four times in batting average and four times in scoring;
Here is your chance to get one-on-one hitting instruction from USA National Team Hitting Coach and BYU Head Softball Coach Gordon Eakin. In this DVD, Coach Eakin delivers an in-depth look at the fundamentals of hitting, reveals his hitting philosophy, and discusses essential mechanics for successful hitting.
Philosophy
Coach Eakin covers a broad variety of topics, including mental toughness, hitting with a plan, differences between hitters, and more. These are valuable tidbits of information because much of what Eakin discusses is often overlooked.
Six Qualities of a Great Hitter
Learn the six qualities you need to become a great hitter; mental toughness, balance, visual recognition, quick hands, patient aggressiveness, and the ability to be on time to the ball.
Pre-Swing (Stance, presence, promotion, and the stride and load)
In the next segment, Coach Eakin explains and identifies more than 10 aspects of the proper athletic stance, covering everything from hand placement to where to stand in the batter's box. He also talks about presence in the batter's box and pre-motion movement to keep hitters loose and to create a strong foundation for the swing. Eakin also discusses the stride and load, as well as six variations of this basic movement. The stride and load is important for balance and is used as a timing mechanism.
Principles and Mechanics of Hitting
After the movements of the pre-swing are complete, Coach Eakin identifies seven key principles of the swing that lead to successful hitting. These principles cover everything from proper use of the legs in the weight shift, to body posture, to hitting through the ball with the arms and hands. These seven characteristics each play a key role in hitting with power and consistency.
Adding Rhythm
Coach Eakin leaves no stone unturned! In the next segment he discusses the importance of a hitter adding rhythm to their swing. The hitter's swing must be both strong and loose. Eakin believes that the body has two halves, with each half being responsible for a different attribute. The legs must be strong and provides the strength in the swing, but from the waist up, the body must be loose. To elaborate on this, Eakin stresses developing leg strength and proper hand movements.
Hitting potpourri
Coach Eakin concludes the DVD by discussing contact points, hitting no-no's, and good hitting mentality. Eakin identifies six common flaws hitter's often face, as well as why these flaws are harmful to an efficient swing. It is important to know and recognize these flaws, as well as how to correct them, to have a fundamentally correct swing.
Coach Eakin provides a thorough overview of all of the important aspects of hitting. Although he covers hitting mechanics in-depth, Eakin's philosophies on hitting go well beyond basic mechanics. Coach Eakin provides a great holistic view of what it takes to be a successful hitter at any level.
88 minutes. 2013.
SD-04284B: with Gordon Eakin, BYU Head Coach;
former USA National Team Hitting Coach;
3x MWC Coach of the Year (2009-11); has led BYU to six conference championship titles; over 400 career victories; in 10 years as head coach, Eakin has guided BYU to the top-10 nationally six times in slugging percentage, six times in home runs per game, four times in batting average and four times in scoring;
Mastering the basic mechanics of the swing is not easy. But once a hitter has conquered the basics, what does it take to get to the next level? Gordon Eakin answers that question in this DVD on advanced hitting.
Mental Side of Hitting
Discover how pregame preparation and how getting into a good, positive mindset can improve your hitting. Likewise, Eakin discusses how you can prepare and plan for each at bat. Do you understand your strengths and weaknesses as a htiter? Do you know the pitcher's strengths and weaknesses? What is the game situation-outs, the count, etc.? A plan will help a hitter approach each at-bat focused and looking for specific pitches.
The Advanced Swing
Eakin discusses and demonstrates pre-swing mechanics and explains the swing from the ground up. This is important information for a hitter as they need to understand the swing in order to execute it well. Eakin also shows video of a few of his players hitting to provide a visual of what a fundamentally sound swing looks like.
Drills
Learn four drills you can use to get your swing in sync. The swing is comprised of movements of both the upper and lower body. These drills teach your hitters how to sync up the swing with the lower and upper body from the ground up for a consistent and powerful swing.
Vision and Timing
In order to hit the ball, a batter must be able to see it. Coach Eakin talks about the importance of getting into a good balanced position to see the ball well. He also explains four visual drills he uses with his team to sharpen focus and see the ball better. Timing is crucial to successful hitting. Pitchers are constantly trying to disrupt a hitter's timing. Eakin explains four methods he uses to work on timing.
Making Adjustments
At the advanced levels of hitting, batters must make adjustments from pitch to pitch to be successful hitters. Coach Eakin explains what he means by making adjustments, and gives some practical advice to hitters about how to make those adjustments. Eakin also explains a drill he uses with his hitters to work on adjustments.
Advanced hitting is more than mechanics. Once a hitter has mastered the basic swing mechanics, the information in this DVD will take them to the next level. Coach Eakin can help any hitter make the transition to becoming an advanced hitter.
52 minutes. 2013.
SD-04284C: with Gordon Eakin, BYU Head Coach;
former USA National Team Hitting Coach;
3x MWC Coach of the Year (2009-11); has led BYU to six conference championship titles; over 400 career victories; in 10 years as head coach, Eakin has guided BYU to the top-10 nationally six times in slugging percentage, six times in home runs per game, four times in batting average and four times in scoring;
Gordon Eakin, Hitting Coach for the US National Softball Team, shares over 20 drills to help develop every aspect of a hitter's swing.
Tee Drills
Coach Eakin delivers seven drills for hitters to use when working off the tee. His tee drills cover many skills, including body sync, hitting through the ball, and creating momentum in the swing. Eakin also introduces tee drills for proper inside and outside contact points, as well as taking the hands directly to the ball. These drills will develop a more fluid and rhythmic swing and guard against excessive movement, thereby making the swing more consistent.
Basic Drills
Proper weight shift and getting the body in sync are necessary attributes of a good swing. In this segment, Coach Eakin explains three drills, and a few variations of each, that he uses to create good rhythm and explosion in the swing. These drills will help develop leg strength, as well as ensuring the swing is in sync and timed correctly.
Hand Drills
To be consistent at the plate, the hands need to move to and through the ball, with no wasted motion. Coach Eakin introduces drills for developing the correct path of the hands to the ball. In order to hit the ball squarely, hitters must know and practice the correct contact points for inside, outside, and middle pitches. Eakin includes several drills to practice correct contact points with the ball.
Advanced Drills
In the final segment, Coach Eakin explains a few drills that he uses with his advanced hitters. Use these drills to teach your hitters how to make adjustments, develop leg strength, and make contact at the correct points. Each of these are crucial skills to successful hitting at the more advanced levels of softball.
Coach Eakin has had success as a hitting coach at every level of softball. He has guided BYU to the top 10 nationally six times in slugging percentage, six times in home runs per game, four times in batting average and four times in scoring.
Throughout the DVD, Coach Eakin explains his philosophies on hitting, as well as his thoughts on the use of drills to build the swing.
In this DVD, you will see many of the drills that have helped to make Eakin a successful hitting coach. Use Coach Eakin's drills to get your batters hitting the ball like the Olympians!
60 minutes. 2013.