CoachMuncie

*Peters Township Softball Coach* *Former Avonworth Softball Coach* *4th Grade Teacher* *7x Section Champ* *3x WPIAL Champion* *PIAA State Champion*

[CoachMuncie @Coach_Muncie]

It’s never too early to practice our swing…

[Jermaine Curtis @JermaineCurtis]

When I played with the Oakland A's, they had us do a weird drill.

They set up large screens about 15-20 feet in front of the batting cage.

The goal?

Hit the ball over the screens.

If you hit it too low, the ball would hit the screen and come right back at you.

The coaches were trying to help us elevate the baseball.

The first few swings i took?

Right into the screen.

The next few swings?

Same thing.

I remember thinking:

"This is kind of silly."

I wasn't really a believer.

By the third round, though, I started getting balls over the screen.

Then something interesting happened.

I took that feeling into the game.

And I ended up driving a few doubles.

Now before every parent runs out and starts doing this drill...

There's something important you need to understand.

I was a professional hitter.

By that point, I had probably taken over a million swings.

I already knew how to find the barrel.
I already knew how to hit line drives.
I already knew how to make consistent contact.

The drill wasn't teaching me how to hit.

It was helping me make a small adjustment.

That's why my philosophy has always been:

Don't chase elevation.

Earn the right to work on it.

Most young hitters don't need to learn how to elevate the baseball.

They need to learn how to square it up.

They need to learn how to hit line drives.

They need to learn how to find the barrel consistently.

Because once a hitter can consistently hit line drives...

Elevating the baseball becomes much easier.

Here's What I'd Do Tonight if I wanted to elevate the baseball:

Round 1: Line Drives Through The Middle

10 swings off a tee.

The goal is simple:

Hit line drives back through the middle.

Not fly balls.
Not ground balls.
Line drives.

Round 2: Opposite Field Gap

10 swings off a tee.

Drive the ball into the opposite field gap.

This teaches the hitter to stay through the baseball longer.

Round 3: Pull Side Gap

Move the tee 6 inches farther out front.

10 swings into the pull-side gap.

The goal isn't elevating the baseball.

The goal is still driving the baseball.

Round 4: Earn The Right

Count how many line drives you hit out of 30 swings.

If you hit 20 or more line drives...

You've earned the right to start experimenting with elevating the baseball.

If not...

Keep working on line drives.

Because one thing I've learned:

Line drives are the foundation of power.

Most hitters want to skip straight to elevating the baseball.

But before you learn how to elevate the baseball...

You need to learn how to square it up.

Elevating the baseball is a terrible place to start.

It's a great place to finish.

Thank you for reading,
Jermaine Curtis

P.S. - If you enjoyed this, and thought it was helpful, please share it.

[CoachMuncie @Coach_Muncie]

@emeryg2009 Love this 🔥🔥

[Emery Grimes 2028 @emeryg2009]

Great weekend competing at the ACS Diamond Klassic in Monroeville with my team going 3-1-2 overall! Proud of my team this weekend. I also had some great plays defensively in the field and below is also one of my at bats. Grateful for every opportunity to compete, learn, and keep getting better each game.

@SoftballDown @LineDsoftball @SBRRetweets
@CoastRecruits @CoastRecruitsSB @RecruitMatador @ExtraInningSB
@PrepSoftball @TopPreps
@LegacyLegendsS1 @fastpitchwatch @DirectRecruits @PrepSoftball
@IHartFastpitch @SportPrepX
@Softball_Home @UWAA_United
@ImpactRetweets @SoftballClips @AScholarsBrand @UncommittedUTR
@Get2CollegAth
@TOP_D1RECRUITS
@SalisburySB @UNGSoftball @NewberrySoftbal @LimestoneSball @UNCP_Softball @WingateSoftball @PfeifferSball
@StevensonSB @McDaniel_SB @WLU_Softball @lynchburg_sb @SUHornetsSB
@FrostburgSB
@chathamusb
@washjeffSB

[TribLive HSSN @TribLiveHSSN]

Western PA Softball All-Star Game pits area’s best for 1 last show
https://t.co/1WZlybrjpu

[Megan Rembielak @MegRemSoftball]

A small clip from my recent YouTube video “how to teach youth players how to swing”

Step 1- The load. Keep it simple and think butt sticks back while pushing back foot through the ground.

[Greg Berge @GregBerge]

Nick Saban said, "To be a good player on your team, you have to affect someone else on the team. You have to cause them to play better by the way you play."

The best players make their teammates better.

How do you make your teammates better?

[CoachMuncie @Coach_Muncie]

@KayleeLubic2029 Way to go!! 🔥🔥🔥

[CamWood Bats @CamWoodBats]

One of the hardest things to do in baseball / softball. 🗣️📝✅⚾️🥎

#baseball #softball #hitting #hardestthingtodo

[Jermaine Curtis @JermaineCurtis]

When I was at UCLA, my roommate was only 5'6".

But he hit the ball harder than almost everybody.

I remember watching him thinking:

How is this guy crushing baseballs?

He wasn't the biggest.

He wasn't the strongest.

But balls absolutely jumped off his bat.

One day I finally asked him:

"Eddie, what do you do to hit the ball so hard?"

He looked at me and said:

"I use my wrists."

To be honest...

I had no idea what he meant.

So he took me into the cage.

He put a donut on my bat.

Then he started flipping baseballs.

Fast.

As soon as I swung...

Another ball was coming.

There was barely enough time to get the barrel back.

We did 3 rounds of 3 swings.

That's it.

Then he took the donut off.

The difference was immediate.

The barrel felt like it was flying through the zone.

Everything felt faster.

Quicker.

More explosive.

So I did it again the next day.

And the next.

A few days later we flew to play Pacific.

That game I went 3-for-4 with 3 doubles.

Now, was it all because of the drill?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

But, it did feel like it helped me.

So if you wanted to "boost" your swing speed tonight, try this:

Put a donut on your bat.

Have someone front toss baseballs rapidly.

As soon as you swing, the next ball is coming.

3 swings.

Rest.

3 swings.

Rest.

3 swings.

Rest.

Now take the donut off.

Hit 10 regular swings.

Pay attention to how the barrel feels.

Because here's what I learned from Eddie:

A lot of players think power comes from getting bigger.

Sometimes it comes from moving the barrel faster.

Eddie wasn't bigger than everybody.

He was faster than everybody.

Thank you for reading,
Jermaine Curtis

P.S. - If you enjoyed this and thought it was helpful, please share it.

Plus, when you share it, it tells me you want more content like this.

[108 Performance @108_Performance]

Albert Pujols talks about his tee routine on @mlbnetwork 🗣️🔥

What’s your tee routine? Are you a tee-leiver?

[Emery Grimes 2028 @emeryg2009]

Had a great time at the @FrostburgSB camp this weekend! Thank you to the Coach Robertson for giving me the opportunity to come out and compete. I really enjoyed getting to learn more about the program and meeting everyone there. The environment was amazing. The coaching staff was awesome and the facilities were great. Overall, it was such a fun experience and I’m very thankful for the opportunity. Looking forward to following the program and staying in touch!

@SoftballDown @LineDsoftball @SBRRetweets
@CoastRecruits @CoastRecruitsSB @RecruitMatador @ExtraInningSB
@PrepSoftball @TopPreps
@LegacyLegendsS1 @fastpitchwatch @DirectRecruits @PrepSoftball
@IHartFastpitch @SportPrepX
@Softball_Home @UWAA_United
@ImpactRetweets @SoftballClips @AScholarsBrand @UncommittedUTR
@Get2CollegAth

[CoachMuncie @Coach_Muncie]

@KayleeLubic2029 @RMUSoftball @Peters_Softball @CoachJexx_RMU Let’s go girl! 🔥

[Kaylee Lubic @KayleeLubic2029]

Travel is starting up! We have our first tournament of the summer season this weekend in Monroeville. I’m super excited to make so many memories this season with my teammates and learn so much along the way!

@Coach_Muncie @RMUSoftball
@Peters_Softball @CoachJexx_RMU
@SHUgriffinsSB @CoachMandy13
@Pitt_SB @PITTcoachallard @Coach_LWood
@CoastRecruits @tagupSoftball @LineDsoftball @DiamondAddicts
@ExtraInningSB @SBRRetweets @TopPreps @TOP_D1RECRUITS @SportPrepX
@DirectRecruits @LegacyLegendsS1
@PrepSoftball

[Jermaine Curtis @JermaineCurtis]

Most hitting problems come from one of four things:

1. You're late.
2. You're swinging at balls.
3. You're missing your pitch.
4. You're giving in with two strikes.

Fix those four things.

Hitting will usually take care of itself.

[Emery Grimes 2028 @emeryg2009]

Excited to be back on the field this weekend in Monroeville, PA with my team! Looking forward to competing with my team!

📍 Friday, June 12
900 Elicker Rd, Pittsburgh, PA

📍 Saturday, June 13
2399 Tilbrook Rd, Monroeville, PA

@SoftballDown @LineDsoftball @SBRRetweets
@CoastRecruits @CoastRecruitsSB @RecruitMatador @ExtraInningSB
@PrepSoftball @TopPreps
@LegacyLegendsS1 @fastpitchwatch @DirectRecruits @PrepSoftball
@IHartFastpitch @SportPrepX
@Softball_Home @UWAA_United
@ImpactRetweets @SoftballClips @AScholarsBrand @UncommittedUTR
@Get2CollegAth
@SalisburySB @UNGSoftball @NewberrySoftbal @LimestoneSball @UNCP_Softball @WingateSoftball @PfeifferSball
@StevensonSB @McDaniel_SB @WLU_Softball @lynchburg_sb @SUHornetsSB
@FrostburgSB

[Coach Swit @CoachSwit]

Throw Strikes. Pitch backwards. Change speeds. You’ll win a lot more high school baseball games than chasing radar gun numbers! #Facts

[Dirt Bro Diamond Training @DirtBroUSA]

Demanding Infield Drill: The Two-Ball Speed Shuffle.

Best performed with a pancake trainer, but it can also be done with the bare glove hand if necessary.

This drill develops lateral explosiveness, teaches players to carry rhythm into an efficient exchange, and challenges the eyes and hands to stay clean through short hops while simultaneously delivering an accurate feed back to the feeder.

The feeder’s role is critical. Great reps require great feeds.

[Michael Nagamatsu @Coach__Naga]

To be an elite hitter, you have to do these 6 things:

1. Control the zone (swing at strikes, take balls)
2. Master the cage. If you can’t hit it where you want to in a controlled environment, how do you expect to do it in a game?
3. Contact rate. Move the ball!
4. Intentional positive self-talk. You won’t be beat. You’re the best player on the field.
5. Be 1% better than you were yesterday. Set daily achievable goals, and accomplish them.
6. Be athletic and move weight.

#hitting #baseball #probaseball #collegebaseball #baseballtraining

[MLBDevelops @MLBDevelops]

2x Gold Glover Michael Bourn and Coach Reggie Williams get our outfielders right 🫡🚀

[Gradum Gswing™️ @GradumGswing]

Caleb Durbin, infielder for the Boston Red Sox, in the house making some adjustments.

If you want to be a consistent hitter with power, you need to land in a strong 50/50 athletic hitting position #gswing