Winning Between the Ears: Mental Approach to Hitting

with Jessica Bracamonte,
University of Toledo Head Coach;
Duke University Assistant Coach from 2019 to 2022;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
Central Michigan University Assistant Coach from 2013 through 2019;
2017 MAC Regular Season Champions;
former Golden West College Assistant Coach;
played professionally with the Chicago Bandits (National Pro Fastpitch);
at Michigan State University, led the Big Ten in triples (4) as a senior

Instructing players to approach the plate with mental confidence is one of the most challenging skills a coach can face. In this video, Jessica Bracamonte backs up her teachings with tools that can easily be added to your daily practice sessions to help your players master the mental side of hitting.

Questions to Consider

Coach Bracamonte challenges coaches to think about the following questions that pertain to mental approach:

• How many of your hitters have thought about 'warming up your eyes' before hitting?
• What do you do when your hitters face a rise ball pitcher and are losing the battle?
• Do your players know how to reset their mind following a strikeout?
• Do your practices include mental practice at the plate?

For athletes, having the confidence to step out of the batter's box to reset their mind is a challenging step to take when all eyes are on them. Coach Bracamonte will help you teach your players to take a few seconds between pitches to reset their time in the batter's box. Once you do this, watch as their confidence grows along with their performance at the plate!

Hitting Drills

The video includes eight hitting drills that are easily incorporated into practices. Every drill includes quality explanations and demonstrations. Your hitters will improve the eye-to-mind-to-swing connection of hitting, their ability to recognize and verbalize strikes, as well as how to hunt for certain pitches when facing a specific pitching opponent.

Coach Bracamonte shares her knowledge with an at-ease style. Her recommended techniques are demonstrated and explained thoroughly. With these techniques and practices incorporated into your program, be ready to accept the compliments from others as your players greatly advance their skills at the plate.

51 minutes. 2021.