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Hey there.
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Joey Myers here.
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And if you've got a young hitter at home, today's episode might just be the most important one you'll ever hear, because sooner or later your kid's gonna hit a slump, not just a cold streak at the plate, but a full blown confidence crash.
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And how you respond as a parent that can either lift them up or unintentionally make things worse.
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In this episode, I'm sharing a behind the scenes look at what really causes hitting slumps, and I promise it's not just mechanical.
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I'll walk you through the story of Eli, a 10 year old lefty I coached who went from lighting it up to going zero for 13 in a heartbeat.
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What we did to bring him back had nothing to do with video breakdowns or swing tweaks and everything to do with how he felt about himself.
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You'll learn my slump reset framework, something you can start using tonight.
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I'll share drills, mindset shifts, and even insights from guys like doctor Ken Raviza and doctor Brett McCabe that'll help your kid bounce back stronger and love the game even when it's tough.
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If you've ever looked at your kid after a strikeout and thought, man, I just wanna help without making it worse, this episode is for you.
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Baseball hitting slumps can be one of the most challenging experiences for young players and their parents.
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These periods of struggle aren't just about mechanics.
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They represent deep emotional and mental challenges that can shake a child's confidence to its core.
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The impact reaches beyond the baseball diamond, affecting family dynamics and a child's self perception in profound ways.
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Consider that moment when your child trudges back to the dugout after striking out again.
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Their shoulders are slumped, their eyes downcast, and you can practically see the self doubt clouding their thoughts.
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It's a scene that plays out on diamonds everywhere from Little League to the Major Leagues.
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The critical difference lies in how we, as parents and supporters, respond to these moments.
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Many parents instinctively rush to fix the problem, but this approach often compounds the pressure their child is already feeling.
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The current trend in youth baseball circles highlights this challenge.
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Social media platforms like x, Reddit, and Facebook baseball forums are filled with desperate posts from parents seeking advice.
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My kid hasn't hit in two weeks and now refuses to practice.
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This common scenario reveals a deeper truth.
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Slumps feel like identity crises for young players, especially when their self worth becomes entangled with their performance.
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When they're hitting well, everything seems right with the world.
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But during a slump, they question not just their abilities, but their entire identity as an athlete.
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Doctor Brett McCabe offers a powerful perspective on this issue.
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Confidence is not built in performance.
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It's revealed there.
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It's built in struggle in the way we recover from failure.
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And this insight suggests that parents should shift their focus from eliminating the slump to helping their child reframe it as an opportunity for growth.
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The traditional approaches, extra batting practice, video analysis, or motivational speeches often miss the mark because they don't address the emotional core of the problem.
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Take the case of Eli, a 10 year old left handed batter with impressive skills.
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After a strong start to the season, he hit a devastating zero for 13 streak across four games.
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His father's initial reaction, analyzing video footage late at night and scrutinizing mechanical details like hand position and foot timing, represents a common parental response.
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However, the solution wasn't found in technical adjustments, but in rebuilding Eli's emotional foundation through a structured approach to mental resilience.
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The Slump Reset framework offers a systematic approach to helping young players navigate these challenging periods.
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The first step involves giving it a name like the monster or the funk.
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This technique helps normalize the experience and creates a sense of partnership between parent and child in overcoming the challenge.
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It acknowledges that slumps are a universal experience in baseball, something every player faces at some point in their career.
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The second phase shifts focus from results to repetitions.
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For a defined period, five to seven days, all discussion of hits is suspended in favor of celebrating effort, focus.
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You know, slumps aren't just about mechanics, but about confidence, mindset, and emotional reset, that's exactly what swing shift is built to handle.
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Every episode of swing shift is like a mini roadmap for parents and hitters delivered daily walking you through, drills, mindset shifts, and strategies just like the slump reset framework we talked about today.
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We don't just fix swings.
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We help kids fall back in love with hitting.
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And for busy parents, it's plug and play.
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Five minute episodes, five days a week.
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Actionable tips, real results.
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And if today's episode struck a chord, if your kid has ever walked off the field feeling defeated, then Swing Shift isn't just another program.
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It's your secret weapon.
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Check it out at hittingperformancelab.com/swingshift.
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Let's turn setbacks into comebacks together and quality contact.
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This approach proved transformative for Eli who rediscovered his enthusiasm for practice practice once freed from the burden of expectations.
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The key was removing the pressure of immediate results and focusing instead on the process of improvement.
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A particularly effective tool within this framework is the win one pitch drill.
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This simple but powerful exercise involves short sessions of five to six pitches, simple but powerful exercise involves short sessions of five to six pitches with each pitch treated as an isolated moment.
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The emphasis lies on emotional separation, the ability to let go of previous failures and focus entirely on the present pitch.
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After each successful contact, celebration follows.
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After each miss, the focus immediately shifts to the next opportunity.
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This approach aligns with the teachings of doctor.
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Ken Ravizza, renowned for his work with Olympic athletes and MLB players who emphasized controlling the controllables and releasing everything else.
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The drill's effectiveness stems from its ability to build a reset mindset.
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After each pitch, players learn to breathe, use a focus cue, and reset, essential elements of a pre pitch mental routine.
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This process helps young players develop ownership over their response to challenges rather than feeling controlled by the slump.
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It's about building the mental muscles needed for long term success in baseball and beyond.
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Parents can support this process by resisting the urge to offer immediate technical corrections after unsuccessful at bats.
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Instead, simple acknowledgments of effort and resilience prove more valuable.
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You're battling.
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I'm proud of how you handle that.
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This approach helps develop players who maintain their love for baseball even during difficult periods.
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It shifts the focus from outcome based validation to process based encouragement.
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The most crucial understanding for parents is that slumps, while challenging, can serve as powerful opportunities for developing mental toughness.
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Rather than viewing these periods as purely negative experiences to be eliminated, they can be reframed as essential parts of the athletic journey, moments where character and resilience are forged.
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This perspective allows both parents and players to approach slumps with a more constructive mindset.
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When parents shift their perspective perspective from fixing to supporting, they create an environment where young players can develop the emotional tools needed for long term success.
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This approach acknowledges that baseball, like life, involves periods of struggle, and the real victory lies not in avoiding these challenges, but in learning to navigate them with confidence and resilience.
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The goal isn't to prevent slumps, but to build players who can work through them effectively.
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Remember, every player from little league to the major leagues experiences slumps.
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Like, the difference lies not in avoiding them, but in how we help our young athletes process and grow through these challenging periods.
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By focusing on emotional support and mental preparation rather than just mechanical adjustments, we can help turn these moments of struggle into valuable opportunities for development.
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This comprehensive approach to handling slumps builds not just better hitters, but more resilient athletes who understand that temporary setbacks don't define their capabilities or their worth.
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If this episode hit home, watching your child struggle through a slump and feeling helpless to fix it, then imagine if you had an edge, a tool that not only understood your kids' mental and physical patterns, but actually helped you make smarter, calmer, and more confident decisions as a parent or coach.
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That's exactly what we created with the AI for youth sports program at hittingperformancelab.com forward /ai course.
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Whether it's building personalized practice plans in seconds, drafting lineups based on real data, or crafting post game messages that lift up instead of piling on.
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AI can do that, and it's not science fiction.
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It's the new secret weapon for busy parents and coaches who want to lead with less stress and more precision.
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If you're serious about supporting your athlete through tough moments like slumps with empathy strategy and clarity, head over to hittingperformancelab.com forward slash AI course.
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This is the future of youth sports parenting, so and you don't want to miss it.
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If you found today's episode helpful, do me a favor.
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Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a new drop.
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And if you've got a second, leaving a quick review helps us reach more parents and coaches who need this kind of insight, know someone going through a slump or just wants to build a better swing, share this episode with them and hey for more game changing drills tools and weekly video training made just for busy parents head over to hittingperformancelab.com.
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You'll find everything from swing breakdowns to our swing shift daily video program that's helping hitters all over the country turn struggle into strength.
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We'll catch you next time.
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Keep swinging smart.
