Kansas CIty
The TEAM
Charley Jr., picked up where his father left off. After working as a minor league hitting coach, he began teaching privately to youngsters at all ages.
He greatly expanded on his father’s legendary teachings by clarifying and dispelling the myths and misunderstandings of the hitting system. He broke the swing down in to digestible pieces and developed drills that took away flaws and developed a much more improved swing.
His reputation grew rapidly when one his students was the 1st overall pick in the 1993 major league baseball draft. His name? Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod struggled in his first year at the major league level, hitting a miserable .232. He went back to Charley Jr. to fix the flaws in his swing. Rodriguez responded with a monster year in 1996 by winning the american league batting title with a .358 average, 36hr’s and 118 rbi’s. This was the highest increase in production in baseball history.
Chaz continues to sprinkle his magic on the bats of all hitters -- from little leaguers to girls fast pitch softball to high schoolers, college, and minor to major leaguers. He has become the most sought after hitting coach in the country.
Lau Jr, published his first book in 2000. It has become the highest selling baseball instructional book to this day. He also produced a 3 part dvd series”Secrets Of The Swing” which has had similar success.
Charley Lau Jr.
Charley Lau Senior; the greatest pioneer of hitting of all time took the art of teaching to new heights in the 1970′s and early 1980′s.
Lau unlocked the mysteries and myths of hitting by methodically observing, recording, analyzing and cataloging the complex act of hitting a baseball. His 10 absolutes of hitting synthesize the commonalties of all successful hitters. Mr. Lau was more than an observer of the baseball swing, He invented the most successful swing being used by today’s most elite hitter’s.
Lau spread his magic over the bats of The Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees and The Chicago White Sox. His most celebrated student, George Brett, is the only player in baseball history to win 3 batting titles in 3 different decades.He wrote the book “The Art of hitting .300“, which supplanted Ted Williams’s The Science of Hitting as the “Bible of Batting.”
Lau emphasized releasing the top hand after making contact with the pitch and following through with only the lower hand on the bat. This allows maximum extension of the arms and lets the bat maintain a flatter plane through the hitting zone. Charley Lau Sr. served as batting coach for the Royals from 1971-1978 and taught his hitting style to Hal McRae, Amos Otis, Willie Wilson and George Brett.
Mr.Lau has 4 Hall Of Famer’s who acknowledged his teachings for their success. Reggie Jackson,Dave Winfield, Carlton Fisk and George Brett. While serving as the White Sox hitting coach, he died in Key Biscayne, Florida at the age of 50 after a long fight with cancer, His son Charley Jr. by his side holding his hand.
People Magazine
Charley Lau Sr.
Dave Ferrara Jr.
After playing baseball the majority of my life, I decided to coach my own children. I began to educate myself on the art of coaching. I thought I knew a lot about baseball, epecially hitting. I was quickly humbled and embarrased. I began asking around for advice and a friend told me about Charley Lau. I went home and researched him. I was so impressed that I called Charley JR. and asked if he could mentor me and teach me about hitting from the ground up. I traveled to Chicago to train and study Charley"s system. Together, we completely rebuilt my swing. I have also studied Dr. Bill Harrison and his "Slow the Game Down" techniques and drills which he developed while working for the Kansas City Royals. George Brett was Charley Sr. and Dr. Bill's first student. I believe George Brett would agree that Charley Lau and Doc taught him how to use his skills and they helped make him the hitter he was. I believe Charley's mechanics, and Dr. Harrison's visual and mental techniques together make the best hitting instruction available. There is most likely nothing better if you want to make it to the show.
My goals are to be a Godly role model first. Secondly, I want every student to leave every session with more and more confidence and knowledge about the art of hitting. With the right foundation , their swing will become muscle memory. My third goal is to make the student a college scholarship recipient and more. So this training could potentially pay it self off if the student is committed.
Certified "Charley Lau "Instructor
Luke 6:46-48
46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
This Bible verse can be applied in a spiritual and a practical way. Obviously one practical way is the art of hitting. If you build your hitting foundation on the Charley Lau method you have built on rock. Even when your up against the best pitcher you will not be shaken because you have been well trained. But the very first thing is to build the foundation of your character in the eyes of Jesus. If you use this verse or one like it to help guide both your spiritual and practical means to life you will be a CHAMPION.