Why Every Hitting Coach Assigns Tee Work
If you’re the parent of a kid who’s just getting into baseball or softball, you might wonder: what’s the point of a batting tee after they progress past T-ball?
Think back to the first time you tried playing a musical instrument or the first time you were introduced to algebra.
What did your teacher do?
Probably he or she assigned some simple practice songs or homework problems. No teacher would assign Rachmaninoff or calculus right out of the gate.
Practice makes perfect. That’s why tee work is assigned—it builds your accuracy, ability, and confidence for a bigger challenge.
Tee work builds your accuracy, ability, and confidence for a bigger challenge. [Source: @MaxOverTees] (Click to Tweet!)
The hardest thing about baseball is hitting a ball thrown by a live pitcher, and the easiest way to learn to hit correctly is to slow the ball down. Hitting off a tee allows a hitter to work on his/her swing without worrying about timing a pitch. Work on fixing the swing first; then work on timing later.
Most coaches ask their students to practice at home hitting off a tee into a net . . . and most hitters don’t do their homework. This is one of the biggest reasons so many hitters struggle to progress and why many young people drop out of baseball early—hitting is too hard. (Just imagine trying to play one of Chopin’s Preludes in front of an audience without practicing first.)
So, how can you help?
First, get your child started early with a few lessons from a good hitting instructor (it’s worth it). The coach will identify flaws in your child’s swing before nasty habits develop, and they will provide some practical things to work on.
Next, get:
a good batting tee,
a net,
and a bucket of practice balls.
It’s homework time.
Often we have customers ask which of our tees is best for young hitters. Any of our tees would work great, but we often recommend our X2 model for its durability (up to 90,000 swings) and lower price point.
