Keep your head still?

I have told many players and coaches of the importance of keeping your head still in baseball.  In reality, a more realistic way of saying that would be to “keep your head calm.”  Baseball players routinely move their head and eyes while playing baseball.  It’s impossible not to.  Pitchers move their head when they pitch. 

Hitters move their head and eyes closer to the ball when they swing.  Fielders take their head to the ball a little when they field ground balls.  Of course, some players move their head and eyes too much. 


Like everything else in sports, extremes usually get players into trouble.  Too much of a stride.  Too much head tilt on the swing or pitch.  But no stride at all and no head tilt on the pitch/swing cause problems of their own.
  There is no blanket rule regarding head movement in baseball.  Some players can do quite well doing something that causes most players to stumble. 

As a coach, keeping head movement to a minimum is usually a good adjustment for players but understand that even though a player’s head movement may need to be adjusted eventually, it doesn’t mean he has to make that adjustment right now.  Especially if he is doing well.