"Great Slappers can Hit Anything"

- coach Adam La Serna

Jessica Mendoza demonstrates the perfect slap hit with the mechanics used in slap hitting.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjZMXgCRb2U
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Slap Hitting objectives;
1. Get fast runners on 1st base.
2. Put Pressure on the defense.
3. Create RBI's with runners in scoring position.Mechanics and Key Fundamentals:"Every good trip starts with a good roadmap and a plan to get there.
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Great hitters know where they are going before they step into the batters box." - Coach Adam
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Slap Hitting Keys:
1.Proper footwork,momentum and footplacement mechanics.
2.Timing the Pitcher in order to slap-hit the ball opposite direction you're running.
3.The swing mechanics: Hand placement on bat, choke up for a soft-slap,choke down for a hard slap. Bat load is high hands, keep hands inside the ball during the swing. Front shoulder is down and in. Eyes are fixed on the ball before during and after contact.
4. Start the footwork with right foot-slide-step-to left foot for creating momentum and timing the pitch and its location for contact.
5. Cross over step to the pitcher and place the left foot very close to the line of the front of the box.
6. Right foot lifts up during the swing, steps over the top of the batter's box front line and points to the 1st base at foot plant.
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A good slapper can get to 1st base in 2.9 seconds of faster.

• The Div 1 Scholar-Recruit will make it to first base in 2.5 seconds.

Slapping Strategy:

In this video, the front of the box-line is non-visible. The slapper moves to the front of the box and hits the ball with front foot possibly over the line?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp1JVE6KgMYhttp://www.ncaa.com/sports/w-softbl/ncaa-w-softbl-body.html
Bunting
Sometimes our thoughts about hitting "the long ball for yardl" and "putting the ball in play" don't always go accordingly to our wishes in tough games. Ive seen some of the top team coaches simply forget about "THE POWER OF BUNTING" and lose games not because their team was not ready but because the coach was not strategizing but instead, "watching the game" instead of coaching the team to victory. With bases loaded or runners in scoring position while hitting against a pretty good pitcher, BUNTING can be unexpected and throw-off the defense.
" Bunting is really good invention, I don't know why the good coaches don't do good things all the time. They really could if they had a game-plan for a few key moments their team can be in during the tougher games, in good and low scoring games."
- Coach Adam

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In this video the bunt throws off the defense and they get out of position to defend it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amFk1n9vf0c

The Future of Tyee Softball? Jordan Kelly on the Rise'

Jordan KellyLFA 14u

LFA Summer Camp member
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" The Future of Tyee High School Softball? "

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Jordan Kelly is an Honor Student and just finished traveling to Washington DC with fellow Honors students. It takes hard work and dedication to staying at the top of her class. Jordan uses the same dedication and hard work training at the La Serna Fastpitch Academy in Tacoma,Washington twice per week with Coach Adam for pitching and hitting instruction.

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"I've been around baseball and softball for many years. I coach both my daughters in Little League so it was time for Jordon to train with Adam. We know what he has done with the Top Pitchers in Puyallup,Graham,Tacoma and Seattle. I told Jordan this is not Little League Camp and forget about the idea it being easy.
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"LFA Summer Camp is the most challenging Pitching Camp in Washington. Adam's philosophy is one way, HIS. Universally it's sound,solid no fooling around pitching instruction. His 14u ASA pitchers and High School pitchers dominate batters. You are going to have to work harder than before because your ASA/NSA competition is working just as hard, Adam knows how to prepare you for the next level in Select Fastpitch. "

- Coach Tom Kelly, Head coach SHN LL
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I really like her drop and change-up she used at the Ice Breaker Tournament. The team won 5 out of 6 games!!
" Now Jordan is learning the Rise ball and my other younger daughter Maddie is on board with coach Adam each week for lessons and is showing improvement."

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dad/coach Tom Kelly,SHN LL

Carly Musser,14u Bull Dogs, 2009-2010 LFA Pitching Camp Most Improved 14u Pitcher

Carly Musser demonstrates perfection!

"Winning comes naturally"

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2010

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Starting Pitcher for Bull Dogs Fastpitch 14u

"Carly pitched for a 10-5 win last weekends game in May,

struck out seven batters and made all three outs of the final inning!"

Thank you for getting Carly off to a great start in fastpitch.

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We are looking forward to attending LFA Summer Fastpitch Camp along with her mentor,

assistant coach Kelli Bornander of NSU.

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Melissa Kellogg-Musser,

Des Moines,Wa. Council Member

Carly Musser, 14u pitcher/ 2009 SHN-LL.

"Most Improved 14u Pitcher "

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LFA Summer Camp 2009

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April is always an exciting time of year for Mariners baseball and UW fastpitch softball. The smell of the new grass after being cut. Hot dogs roasting in the ball park. Talks of Ichiro contending for another All Star season performance. Good times for kids and adults preparing for ball games. April always brings me new talent to work with at LFA Summer Fastpitch Camps.
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I met Melissa Musser on facebook fastpitch friends and soon she enrolled her daughter Carly for Fastpitch Pitching lessons. There was something about Carly that got my attention. Tall and a coaches player because every instruction I gave her was followed by, ok or yes sir. I really just thought she wanted to improve a little more on her fastball for Little League. Then 2 months goes by and while at Summer Camp I noticed Carly throwing a little faster, learning new pitches rapidly and almost perfect in the strike zone on all her spots/ She is good at listening to every word from assistant camp coach Kelli Bornander, starting pitcher for Northern State University. Coach Kelly: Carly reminds me of me when I was 14. Tall and really wanting to be the best pitcher I could be. I think she is having fun and the fact that I can show her my college skills really motivated Carly to look to the future and share my dream.

Coach Adam: It took only a few months to give Carly some new skills. My approach is the same for everyone I train..." I will try to pull the potential out of the person, later the athlete will respond with improvement." I will see her a couple times a week to do this. If she wants to be a champion she will train on her own time with her new skills. What goes on when she leaves camp is her own doing. I like what she has accomplished.

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Carly is committed to training with her dad, Brian almost every day.

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Melissa Musser: "When Carly puts her mind to something she wants to do I think she puts her perfectionist side into it and really strives to do her best. A bit shy, Carly doesn't like to look bad at what she does. Adam has her on an additional 1,000 calorie uptake each day, this includes more complex carbs and high protien foods. She does not need to eat like her friends do, she needs to eat like a champion athlete."

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Carly: " I worked hard training with my dad each day, throwing up to 150 to 200 pitches a day with proper breaks and rest, I don't want to over do it. I use my training journal allot. If I don't understand something I am doing wrong, I look in my Training Journal and my pitching notes from Camp are there. I just follow the Important Keys to the pitch and it works. I like training with coach Kelli, starting pitcher from Northern State University and I want to pitch like her. One day I will come back from college on summer break and help out at Summer Camps."

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mom-Melissa:"She's turned into this new kid since she's been working with Adam. She actually has a swagger now, and that head strong, vibrant, excited kid I used to know is back, and you helped give that to her. When you pointed her out last night as most improved, I could see her whole body language change. She may not have shown it, but you made her day. "
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mom, Melissa Musser

Orion seen here pitching for WST 12u 2009

Orion Shade,Pitcher/ 12u

"12 year old Rookie of the Year"

Orion Shade is only 12 years old and in her 3nd month training at La Serna Fastpitch Academy. Orion will be pitching for the Bull Dogs as a 12u starter this Fall and 2010 Season.

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"Orion is the kind of person that enjoys leading and being on the mound for her team."

-coach Adam.

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"Adam, Orion pitched in two games today for WST 12u and won both. Her change-up were making batters look silly and sat four hitters down in a row! I like the progress is making. Now it's time for me to think about starting a team. One that will be using your training system and coaching philosophy. It will be a challenge for me but I hear about how you started many teams from scratch and helped turn them into A-Level Champion Programs. That sounds like a lot of work but we need to move forward and think about Orion's future in fastpitch. She and I both love the sport, we love the Huskies National Champs and Orion trains with over 150 pitches each day like you asked us to and she is better condition because of that. I am nervous and excited at the same time. I have great supporters behind me."

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Thank you, Rob Shade, dad-coach/Bull Dogs

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WA. 07-09 Federal Way Invite Champions West Seattle Thunder 12u.

CONGRATULATIONS !

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Great hitting and fielding at every position kept WST 12u in the running for the championship." I think they are having fun and they have worked hard all month for this. The players' hitting really have improved. I have been pitching to them and getting them ready. I am really proud of them all!"

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Benita Beale

pitching assitant, and 14u wst pitcher