Slap Hitting Tips

[SBFAMILY]

I have them start when the pitcher is in the K position, while on deck and then adjust to the pitcher. One of drills we use with slappers is with the TCB Balls. It will help them engage the bat contact longer on the ball, and will give them harder hits into the ground.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

This is a 4-part video. It is really good.

Slapping Part 1 - India Chiles - Episode 158 - YouTube

Ashley Charters:

 

[SBFAMILY]

Interesting still using the old style drop step. If you look at team USA teachings there are some differences. All studies show this is not as fast to first base. I worked with and talked to Micheal Bastian when he returned for the Olympic games in China. He has some good reason based on film study during the games, why they don't teach this. One thing I tell coaches look are her rear , if you can see it behind the fence they are bailing out. See how her's is facing toward the bench. I agree shoulder square.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aUJ_G03bUA&feature=relmfu Watch Larry Ray explain the foot work in his video. This is what we teach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRGdJrLP2Fw&feature=related This is by Amy Hillenbrand and Mike Candrea using Andrea Duran and Caitlin Lowe.
I have not watched the India Chiles video's yet, but with no career 3B or HR's that would be a red flag to me. We like our slappers to also hit for power. Plus it shows she bats right in college? She had great speed if you look at her SB's and being used mainly as a DP.

 

[T Red]

SBF I see different footwork in each video. Do you use both methods?

 

[SBFAMILY]

No. We do not drop step. We use the cross over style taught by Amy. We load just like hitting, but then bring the back foot forward and across. Mike's point was, if they drop step everyone in the park knows what they are doing. You give it away early. By not going backwards first, they show you get out of the box faster. Amy covers this in her DVD with Lowe. Speed is very important to slappers and anything that cuts time off, they will take advantage off it. We want to be able to hit, or slap depending on the defense. Just keep in mind everyone taught the drop step for slapping years ago, because most slappers could only slap. Then players like Watley came along and changed slapping.. The dd got to work with Laura Berg ( thanks to Bustos & Howard) on slapping and since she plays CF, this was one of my dd's favorite players.

http://softball.isport.com/softball-guides/how-to-decide-who-can-become-a-slapper-in-softball

 

[Ken Krause]

Interesting still using the old style drop step. If you look at team USA teachings there are some differences. All studies show this is not as fast to first base. I worked with and talked to Micheal Bastian when he returned for the Olympic games in China. He has some good reason based on film study during the games, why they don't teach this. One thing I tell coaches look are her rear , if you can see it behind the fence they are bailing out. See how her's is facing toward the bench. I agree shoulder square.

Larry Ray: The Total Short Game - YouTube Watch Larry Ray explain the foot work in his video. This is what we teach.
Amy Hillenbrand: USA Softball - Slapping and the Short Game - YouTube This is by Amy Hillenbrand and Mike Candrea using Andrea Duran and Caitlin Lowe.
I have not watched the India Chiles video's yet, but with no career 3B or HR's that would be a red flag to me. We like our slappers to also hit for power. Plus it shows she bats right in college? She had great speed if you look at her SB's and being used mainly as a DP.

Are these the right links? Neither of them show slapping.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

This is what we teach.
Amy Hillenbrand: USA Softball - Slapping and the Short Game - YouTube

Do you have any examples of this approach in live game at-bats?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Washington's Amanda Fleischman, Slap Single:

 

[T Red]

FFS do you have any videos of the cross over slap?


Thanks,
Tim

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Sorry TRed ... don't have much handy at the moment on that.