18u Dd got to slap in a tournament for first time

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Feb 13, 2020
70
18
So dd has been learning how to slap for about 2-3 weeks. She has a tournament with her team this weekend and was allowed to slap in the first game since the pitcher wasn’t great at pitching to lefties. Her first at bat of the game and her first ever time slapping in a game Dd made contact and hit the ball right into the gap between the Ss and 2nd basemen. She was called safe at first because she beat out the throw and the Cf made a big throwing error. Her next at bat slapping she got walked. Her team had three games in total and the next two games she didn’t get to slap and batted from the right side. In the second game dd got thrown out at first in her first at bat and then got a single her second at bat. The third game was a blowout win for the other team so dd only got up once and she struck out. I’ll post a video of her highlights from the games. I know dd isn’t the best when it comes to slapping so could you guys look at the footage and critique her foot work? Sorry for the bad quality we had to sit far away from the field and I only had my phone to record.

Edit: Here’s the video. She’s #8. The video quality is awful so it’s pretty hard to see her footwork.
 
Last edited:
Aug 13, 2020
29
3
So dd has been learning how to slap for about 2-3 weeks. She has a tournament with her team this weekend and was allowed to slap in the first game since the pitcher wasn’t great at pitching to lefties. Her first at bat of the game and her first ever time slapping in a game Dd made contact and hit the ball right into the gap between the Ss and 2nd basemen. She was called safe at first because she beat out the throw and the Cf made a big throwing error. Her next at bat slapping she got walked. Her team had three games in total and the next two games she didn’t get to slap and batted from the right side. In the second game dd got thrown out at first in her first at bat and then got a single her second at bat. The third game was a blowout win for the other team so dd only got up once and she struck out. I’ll post a video of her highlights from the games. I know dd isn’t the best when it comes to slapping so could you guys look at the footage and critique her foot work? Sorry for the bad quality we had to sit far away from the field and I only had my phone to record.

Edit: Here’s the video. She’s #8. The video quality is awful so it’s pretty hard to see her footwork.

Oh good job. I don’t know much about slap hitting but I do know that being able to successfully slap after only 2 weeks of practice is a pretty big achievement. Your Dd looks like a fast runner so slapping should work out well for her. I’ve always thought slapping was cool but none of my Dd’s have ever been quick enough to try it.
 
Nov 30, 2018
359
43
Marikina, Philippines
So dd has been learning how to slap for about 2-3 weeks. She has a tournament with her team this weekend and was allowed to slap in the first game since the pitcher wasn’t great at pitching to lefties. Her first at bat of the game and her first ever time slapping in a game Dd made contact and hit the ball right into the gap between the Ss and 2nd basemen. . . . . . I know dd isn’t the best when it comes to slapping so could you guys look at the footage and critique her foot work? Sorry for the bad quality we had to sit far away from the field and I only had my phone to record.

Edit: Here’s the video. She’s #8. The video quality is awful so it’s pretty hard to see her footwork.


Well distance precludes accurate critic. And I just watched about a few seconds. If that is her at the very beginning I didn't see any slapping footwork, but I clicked through fast-forwarding to about :30 mark and saw some footwork. I feel she was rushed, looking for results rather than form. In other words as I call it, "coach from where the player is at, rather than coaching from where you want the player to be."

At the :33 mark, if that is her, she is opening up her front foot to the pitcher. When you do that, you are generally:
  • That means you are also opening up the front shoulder
  • Creating a tendency to pull the ball to the 2B/1B side
  • Giving up the preferred outer half of the plate
The first step for beginners is usually back under the hips to get the body moving, later less so.
That step should be with the instep of the foot moving back toward the back of the box, not stepping back and pointing the toe toward the pitcher.

The second step is the same! Think of driving the instep or heel of the foot toward the pitcher as she steps through. Pulling the heel through will automatically cause the foot to point at the SS when the foot sets down, keeping the front side closed and on the plate.

The 3rd step with the right foot should also be directly at the pitcher. And yes, finally the toe points at the pitcher but that will happen naturally. You can use cones to block her natural tendency to pull off the plate toward 1B. ALSO: I use a cone at the 30 foot line, the running lane, to make sure she is getting into foul territory.

As far as running-bunts are concerned: The bottom hand should move aggressively toward the pitcher, the top hand sliding down the bat to the fat part of the barrel. I place a batting glove on the fence at about mid-chest level, so the hand is near the top of the strike-zone. The slapper then looks DIRECTLY OVER the LEFT hand at the pitcher's feet. Why? So that the shoulder stays closed and the bat-head stays over the plate, preventing her from stabbing at the pitch, and prepared to "catch" the ball with the bat head instead of moving into contact. In this position with the shoulders closed, the bat will be positioned to bunt toward the left side. Adjustments can be made to bunt for a 1B playing back and a LH pitcher on the mound.

The bat can be dropped through loosened hands to shorten up for softer bunts and more bat control.

Running Slap: I start with my girls with the bat-head touching their upper arm. This prevents a big swing and also keeps the new slapper from chopping down through the plane of the pitch. The "chop slap" is for experts. The swing should be kept short. I have my students place the barrel against the back shoulder at first. The swing is NOT shoulder to shoulder on the soft-slap. Indeed, ideally full extension of bat and arms would STOP in a straight line toward that 5.5 hole target, but that will depend on timing and pitch location.
The hands should be above the ball, but the derivative of "chopping" down is the most difficult to master. I teach the soft-slap and power-slap first.
  • Early in the process I teach slapping as a form of "pepper", and you can set up a target at the "5.5 hole", preferably a screen they can just slap the ball into.
  • Lastly, contact is best made during the second step, as the right foot catches up even with the left foot. This provides the best balance and un-restricted shoulder orientation (closed and aligned from catcher to pitcher).
  • Provides the most slap power once the hard-slap is added.
Keep in mind there are three forms of slap-hitting: the soft slap, the hard slap, and the chop-slap. The hard slap is for fielders cheating in. The soft slap is intended for them to be forced in or move laterally, so the 5.5 or 5-6 hole which ever you language you prefer is the ideal target. If the SS is forced to move to her right, toward 3B 2 steps, she is going to have a difficult time. In her mind she should consider ever forced error the same as a hit! Develop a differentiation between the soft-slap and a hard slap. Develop these wo weapons to go with the 3rd, the running-bunt.

There is a lot more, but that is enough for the next month or so. I am sending you a video I made for our National Team in the Philippines. I started coaching the slapping game in the 1980's.
 

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Last edited:
Feb 13, 2020
70
18
Well distance precludes accurate critic. And I just watched about a few seconds. If that is her at the very beginning I didn't see any slapping footwork, but I clicked through fast-forwarding to about :30 mark and saw some footwork. I feel she was rushed, looking for results rather than form. In other words as I call it, "coach from where the player is at, rather than coaching from where you want the player to be."

At the :33 mark, if that is her, she is opening up her front foot to the pitcher. When you do that, you are generally:
  • That means you are also opening up the front shoulder
  • Creating a tendency to pull the ball to the 2B/1B side
  • Giving up the preferred outer half of the plate
The first step for beginners is usually back under the hips to get the body moving, later less so.
That step should be with the instep of the foot moving back toward the back of the box, not stepping back and pointing the toe toward the pitcher.

The second step is the same! Think of driving the instep or heel of the foot toward the pitcher as she steps through. Pulling the heel through will automatically cause the foot to point at the SS when the foot sets down, keeping the front side closed and on the plate.

The 3rd step with the right foot should also be directly at the pitcher. And yes, finally the toe points at the pitcher but that will happen naturally. You can use cones to block her natural tendency to pull off the plate toward 1B. ALSO: I use a cone at the 30 foot line, the running lane, to make sure she is getting into foul territory.

As far as running-bunts are concerned: The bottom hand should move aggressively toward the pitcher, the top hand sliding down the bat to the fat part of the barrel. I place a batting glove on the fence at about mid-chest level, so the hand is near the top of the strike-zone. The slapper then looks DIRECTLY OVER the LEFT hand at the pitcher's feet. Why? So that the shoulder stays closed and the bat-head stays over the plate, preventing her from stabbing at the pitch, and prepared to "catch" the ball with the bat head instead of moving into contact. In this position with the shoulders closed, the bat will be positioned to bunt toward the left side. Adjustments can be made to bunt for a 1B playing back and a LH pitcher on the mound.

The bat can be dropped through loosened hands to shorten up for softer bunts and more bat control.

Running Slap: I start with my girls with the bat-head touching their upper arm. This prevents a big swing and also keeps the new slapper from chopping down through the plane of the pitch. The "chop slap" is for experts.

Keep in mind there are three forms of slap-hitting: the soft slap, the hard slap, and the chop-slap. The hard slap is for fielders cheating in. The soft slap is intended for them to be forced in or move laterally, so the 5.5 or 5-6 hole which ever you language you prefer is the ideal target. If the SS is forced to move to her right, toward 3B 2 steps, she is going to have a difficult time. In her mind she should consider ever forced error the same as a hit! Develop a differentiation between the soft-slap and a hard slap. Develop two weapons to go with the 3rd, the running-bunt.

There is a lot more, but that is enough for the next two weeks or so. I am sending you a video I made for our National Team in the Philippines. I started coaching the slapping game in the 1980's.
Yeah that is Dd at the beginning and at the 33 second mark. The beginning clip she started moving her feet but I think the pitch being so outside sorta messed up her steps. Thanks for the advice.
 
Nov 30, 2018
359
43
Marikina, Philippines
I
Yeah that is Dd at the beginning and at the 33 second mark. The beginning clip she started moving her feet but I think the pitch being so outside sorta messed up her steps. Thanks for the advice.

I just realized who you were! I already answered you. Well there is some new photos and information in this one.
 
Feb 13, 2020
70
18
I


I just realized who you were! I already answered you. Well there is some new photos and information in this one.
Yeah I thought your profile looked familiar. Thanks for the new photos you have been a big help to dd when it comes to slap hitting.
 
Feb 13, 2020
70
18
Tell your DD that she will play an important role. The better the pitching, the more important the role of the short-game.
Thanks I will. Your tips have been really helpful and dd really appreciates it. My DD's team has lots of hitting practices even during the off-season so I'm hoping that by the Summer season dd will understand slapping enough to be able to benefit her team. Right now she’s really only allowed to slap against weaker pitchers. Her team got completely shut out by another teams pitcher at the tournament. Barely anyone could get on base and the ones that did weren’t able to score. I’m hoping that when dd learns to properly slap then she’ll be able to get on base even with tough pitchers. .
 
Aug 13, 2020
29
3
Thanks I will. Your tips have been really helpful and dd really appreciates it. My DD's team has lots of hitting practices even during the off-season so I'm hoping that by the Summer season dd will understand slapping enough to be able to benefit her team. Right now she’s really only allowed to slap against weaker pitchers. Her team got completely shut out by another teams pitcher at the tournament. Barely anyone could get on base and the ones that did weren’t able to score. I’m hoping that when dd learns to properly slap then she’ll be able to get on base even with tough pitchers. .
My DD’s team has a slapper and she consistently has a high on base %. I’m not sure if your dd will be able to master slapping by the time summer ball gets here but she should be able to be a decent slapper by then. Her Batting Average will probably drop in school ball though if she tries slapping all the time so maybe have her mainly hit for power from the left side and only slap here and there.
 

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