Hitting: Developing a power hitter

Gerry Glasco shares stories from his softball coaching journey — from junior high to the pros — and key lessons learned along the way, including dealing with failure, planning for adversity, and coaching elite athletes. Known as one of the nation’s top offensive coaches, he also offers insights on building team culture, developing power hitters, and mastering advanced hitting techniques like weight shift and hip rotation to improve timing, power, and accuracy.

Key points include:

1. Hitting Styles (55:30)

   • Coach Glasco contrasts two hitting techniques: Barry Bonds' "downward" shift, which moves weight down into the back leg without a big stride, versus Babe Ruth’s "linear" shift, which includes a forward stride. He emphasizes the down shift as more effective in softball due to the shorter 43-foot pitching distance, which demands quicker reactions.

2. Direction and Rotation (56:54)

   • Another important aspect is creating "direction" with the back leg, ensuring it points toward the target field (right center for outside pitches, shortstop for inside pitches). Coach Glasco notes that amateur players often lack this finish, resulting in weaker, misdirected hits.

3. Coiling the Hip (1:05:10)

   • Loading the hip, or "coiling," is central to building power and timing. By coiling the back hip before the stride, hitters keep their weight back, allowing for a controlled, explosive movement into the ball.
   • Coach Glasco illustrates this using the swings of elite players, noting that the timing and sequence of movement—from hip coil to leg drive to hip release—ensure optimal power and delay for pitch types like changeups.

4. Common Mistakes

   • Young hitters often fail to load the hip and tend to over-rotate early, which leads to weaker contact and less control. Coach Glasco advises against teaching players to "turn the hips" without first establishing proper leg drive as this results in incomplete body engagement.

5. Teaching Drills

   • Use the drills below to reinforce hip loading and leg drive. Incorporating keywords like “coil” and “drive the leg” will help players internalize these mechanics without feeling overwhelmed.

No stride drill (1:12:35)

Purpose: To practice the “coil” component of the hitting motion.

How it works: Without a bat, a player assumes an athletic hitting stance. She then swings using a 2-step sequence of loading or “coiling” the hip and driving the back leg forward. Players can practice this movement in front of a tee at practice or even at home while watching TV.

Requirements: One player and about 10 feet of space

Coil drill (1:17:40)

Purpose: To practice the “coil” component of the hitting motion.

How it works: A player assumes an athletic hitting stance. She then swings at a pitched ball using a 3-step sequence of loading or “coiling” the hip, driving the back leg forward, and extending her hands through.

Requirements: Two players, a bat and a field

Punching bag drill (1:19:10)

Purpose: To practice the “coil” and “drive the leg” components of the hitting motion.

How it works: Holding a bat in front of a punching bag, a player assumes an athletic hitting stance. She then swings and contacts the punching bag using a 3-step sequence of loading or “coiling” the hip, driving the back leg forward, and extending her hands through.

Requirements: One player, a tee, a punching bag and about 10 feet of space