GD Question(s)

[GerryB]

Due to knee soreness developed in the college season I have been using the summer to try the GD stance. OK, but not in love with it yet. A question and a comment:
With my feet wide, I get the good head height etc., but (not like I'm athletic anyway) don't get out of the stance and to where I'm going on a hit ball like I used to. My old box stance, as we say in football, gave me an explosive first step. The wide stance doesn't. Am I doing something wrong?
Even with the very wide stance I am looking down on the high strike (I'm already 3' behind the catcher, I back up more I lose the plate). From the box stance my high strike was set, it feels hard now to get both high and low strikes effectively. More experience, adjustments?
Thanks.
Edit: really two questions.