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Learning slapping & punting only


Question
MY LEFT-HANDED DAUGHTER PLAYS FOR A SOFTBALL CLUB HER 2ND YEAR. SHE TAKES HITTING LESSONS & HER HITTING COACH SAYS SHE IS A POWER HITTER.  HOWEVER,DURING THIS SEASON, HER CLUB COACHES EXPRESSED THAT SHE IS A VERY GOOD SLAPPER/PUNTER & WITH HER SPEED,THEY WANTED HER TO GET EVEN BETTER & CONSIDER HAVING HER TAKE LESSONS FOR SLAPPING. SHE IS ONLY A 9TH GRADER 14 YRS OLD,DO YOU THINK IT'S WISE TO LIMIT HER POTENTIAL? MY HUSBAND & I PERSONALLY, WOULD RATHER SEE HER HIT A BALL & GET DOUBLES, TRIPLES OR EVEN HOMERUNS, BUT OBVIOUSLY SHE STILL NEEDS TO PERFECT THAT TOO. SHE IS BY NO MEANS CONSISTENT IN MAKING CONTACT WITH THE BALL. WE HAD OUR 1ST TOURNAMENT RECENTLY & ALL SHE DID IN THE 2 GAMES THAT SHE PLAYED OUT OF 3 WERE PUNTING & SLAPPING & SHE BATTED 6 FOR 8. SO IS IT OK TO JUST CONCENTRATE ON SLAPPING THE WHOLE TIME? TO THE POINT OF TAKING LESSONS FOR THEM?  SHE IS OBVIOSLY PLANNING TO TRY OUT FOR THE VARSITY TEAM IN HER HS THIS SPRING.  I'M CONFUSED... PLEASE ADVISE. I WANTED AN UNBIASED OPINION. NOT SURE IF HER CLUB COACHES ARE CONSIDERING HER FULL POTENTIAL OR IF THEY'RE ONLY INTERESTED IN WINNING EACH TOURNAMENT WITHOUT ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION TO HER FULL POTENTIAL I.E. POWER HITTER. CAN'T SHE BE BOTH?  POWER HITTER & EXCELLENT SLAPPER AS WELL?

Answer
Here is what I hear from your post.  Natural lefty, very fast, wants to make varsity next year.

She went 6/8 in two games.  I would keep her slapping primarily.  Since she is a natural lefty she should continue to work on a full swing as well.  She has twice as much work to do in hitting practice than the rest of the girls.

She sounds like a lead-off, #2, or #9 hitter to me.  These are spots that I would use a girl that is very good at the short game.  As the game goes on, she will be in a position where she needs to hit instead of slap.  I don't see focusing on slapping as limiting her potential.  I see it as making the best use of the ability and talent that she has.

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