Softball drill
Power slap tee drill
A left-handed slapper rehearses the crossover footwork in slow motion off a tee, stops at contact to check the hands and the weight, then repeats it at game speed. It teaches a power slap that drives the ball through the infield instead of into the dirt.
At a glance
- Sport
- Softball
- Skill
- Hitting
- Ages
- 12U to High school
- Players
- 1 slapper per tee
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Batting tee, A bucket of softballs, Bat and helmet, A hitting net or cage
- Indoors
- Yes
A power slap is a slapper's way of hitting the ball hard rather than just putting it on the ground. The defense creeps in for the soft slap and the bunt, so a line drive over or through the drawn-in infield is a weapon. It only works if the slapper keeps the weight from spilling forward as they run into the swing.
This drill slows the crossover down to a walk so the slapper can stop at contact and check where the hands and the weight are, then puts it back together at full speed. It is a tee drill, so it fits a cage station or a gym in the winter.
Setup
- Set the tee at the front of the plate at belt height.
- The slapper takes their normal left-handed slap stance at the back of the box.
- Put a net in front of the tee, or hit into the cage.
How to run it
- The slapper does their normal crossover footwork toward the pitcher in slow motion.
- They stop at contact and check: hands ahead of the barrel, knob leading to the ball, weight stacked over the front leg rather than falling past it.
- They return to the start without swinging.
- Now the same footwork at game speed, driving the ball on a line into the net.
- Alternate one slow rehearsal and one full-speed swing for a set of 8 to 10.
Coaching points
- The chest stays over the plant leg; it does not drift past it toward the pitcher.
- Hands stay above the barrel so the ball comes off on a line, not on a hop.
- Head stays quiet through contact instead of turning toward first base early.
- Make the slow-motion rep a true check. If the position is wrong, fix it before the full-speed rep.
- Judge it by the ball: a line drive into the net is the goal.
Common mistakes
- Rushing through the slow rehearsal without stopping to check.
- Letting the weight fall forward over the front knee, which drives the ball into the ground.
- Dropping the back shoulder and lifting the ball into a pop-up.
- Starting to run before the bat gets to the ball.
Printable drill card
Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.
Print the drill cardSmaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).
By age
12U
Hold the contact check for a full two seconds and have the coach adjust hands and weight. More slow reps than fast ones.
14U and up
Shorten the check, then move from the tee to front toss and call soft slap or power slap before each pitch.
Next: Free lineup card generator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a soft slap and a power slap?
A soft slap puts the ball on the ground in a hurry so the slapper can beat it out. A power slap is a harder swing, with the weight kept back over the plant leg, meant to drive the ball on a line through or over a drawn-in infield.
More drills
Start free. Upgrade when your season needs it.
The free plan includes one team and one of each document type, with no license fee and no credit card. Paid plans start at $2.50 a month billed annually, cancel anytime.
No credit card required. Free plan available.