When to develop slappers

[RADcatcher]

Also, I would hope most slapping instructors are teaching their students all facets of slapping which would also

include being able to hit for contact or power from the left-hand side.

even while moving feet!

 

[_MIA_]

I wish I had just had my kid hit LH from the start..bad dad.

 

[RADcatcher]

I wish I had just had my kid hit LH from the start..bad dad.

The player like to follow Mac Barbara is naturally right handed. Her dad taught her to hit from the left side from the get-go!

 

[_MIA_]

The player like to follow Mac Barbara is naturally right handed. Her dad taught her to hit from the left side from the get-go!

You trying to make me feel worse?

 

[LEsoftballdad]

I wish I had just had my kid hit LH from the start..bad dad.

I'm a natural lefty hitter, but when my dad got me my first set of golf clubs for my 11th birthday, he could only get them in righty. I golfed as a righty until I was 25 when I finally got lefty clubs.

For the record; I can't golf from either side...

 

[RADcatcher]

I'm a natural lefty hitter, but when my dad got me my first set of golf clubs for my 11th birthday, he could only get them in righty. I golfed as a righty until I was 25 when I finally got lefty clubs.

For the record; I can't golf from either side...

Welll you experimented LOL

 

[Ak40SleVin]

Depends on her age and/or what level SB she’s playing in. Younger slappers (I’d say 12U and below) can get away with being a little slower because the fielding isn’t quite as sharp yet. Same as if she played on a lower-level TB team.

Also, I would hope most slapping instructors are teaching their students all facets of slapping which would also include being able to hit for contact or power from the left-hand side.

My daughter is a rhb and I'm thinking about putting her on the left side. She's still 10u eligible but is doing what most do in the fall and playing 12u. From the right side she gets around the bases in 14 seconds flat and just a little under. She's only 54" and is going into the 6th grade.

 

[Vertigo]

My daughter is a rhb and I'm thinking about putting her on the left side. She's still 10u eligible but is doing what most do in the fall and playing 12u. From the right side she gets around the bases in 14 seconds flat and just a little under. She's only 54" and is going into the 6th grade.

My personal opinion - you always have time to switch them over. My dd didn’t switch over until she was 14. At 10-12U she was tall and lanky but slow as molasses. Now, at 20 she’s still tall and lanky but fast as anything. I’d personally wait until she hits a growth spurt to see if she stays fast or starts hitting for more power.

 

[mmeece]

The main factor I would consider before making a switch is the player's potential to develop power from the right side. I'd probably wait until 12 to 14 yo before making that determination. She really doesn't need to have much above average speed to become a successful slapper, although that certainly helps. My dd had to switch at 14yo due to a recurrent injury, and she was very successful despite only having a little above average speed.

 

[Dabears17]

My DD is a natural lefty and wasn't necessarily fast, but I had her learn to slap to make her a triple threat. She got pretty good at bunting for a hit or power-slapping it over the 3B's head if that was what the defense gave her.

It is probably a 6-9 month commitment to swap sides, and most players aren't going to be effective past 10u just slapping; they need to be a triple threat.

A friend's DD was a decent bunter with decent speed, so when she was 14, she tried switching to the left side for about 6-months but wasn't able to hit for power from the left side, so switched back to righty.