Expert: Willie Ansley Jr. - 6/11/2009

Question
QUESTION: We have an 11-yr. son that has been hit by pitches since T-ball. This year, he's been hit by a pitch three times -- 1 really hurt. The more his coaches bug him about stepping out, the worse he seems to get (self-esteem). He also has the bad luck of coming to the plate right after a teammate gets hit. At home he hits well, but not with the power he used to have. He has one more yr. of LL, any suggestions to help make him the power hitter we know he can be?

ANSWER: I think the best thing you can do is to buy him the under armor gear that has the pads in them that would protect him.Try to get him everything you can to make him feel protected.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Mr. Ansley, Any ideas on breaking the habit? Sometimes the coach puts a bat behind him, or has even physically held his feet. Thanks for the suggestion of protective clothing.

Answer
I think it is a mental thing and you can try all day to change the physical side but if mentally he is afraid he will not stay in anyway. Get him to feeling protected and safe and he will have more confidence to stay in there and not back out. When he gets to the confidence stage then you can use the bat behind and back him off the plate some.