To get my players away, 8UAA, from thinking about squishing the bug to hip rotation I used the following idea that I picked up from another coach.
Plug in the Socket Drill
Materials needed:
Old bat, short extension cord, electric socket, tape
I taped the electrical socket to a pair of shorts that I could easily slip on at practice. I purposely taped it to my right hip socket area. I also had taped the female end of the extension cord to the end of the bat.
I then gathered the players around and told them that if they wanted “Power” in their bats they must “plug” into the power of their hips.
I pulled the bat I had taped to the extension cord out of the bag and slipped on the shorts. I then got in the proper stance and had a player hold the cord where my hips would be “if” I properly rotated my hips. When I did do the proper rotation I had the player plug the “electric bat” into the socket that was taped to my right hip socket.
It was a beautiful thing!!! We now say “plug in the socket” verses the old and completely wrong squish the bug.