Just Tap It In

Statewide survey shows "ball tapping" problem widespread
Bob Segall/13 Investigates

It's a disturbing game with devastating consequences, and a new WTHR survey suggests it is rampant in Indiana schools.

"Ball tapping" is the act of intentionally hitting or kicking a male in the genitals. Earlier this month, an Eyewitness News investigation showed the game has become commonplace in some area schools, resulting in serious injuries for students.



As part of the investigation, WTHR also conducted a statewide survey of school nurses. The results are in, and they show the problem of ball tapping is more common and widespread than many school officials had realized.

School nurses from 163 Indiana schools participated in the anonymous survey, and 33% of those nurses said they're aware of ball tapping happening at their school within the past twelve months.

In middle schools, 62% of school nurses said they're aware of students engaged in ball tapping.

"I would have expected it to be a low number," said Mary Conway, president of the Indiana Association of School Nurses. "I would not have expected [school nurses] to have had much experience with it at all … because I think it's something most kids won't talk about with a nurse. I'm very surprised by this whole issue and it's given me a new perspective."

How is this story surprising to anyone? Teenage boys punching each other in the balls is as old as Howdy Doody. In the American games timeline the invention of "ball tapping" comes in sometime between ball-in-a-cup and jacks. Bob Segall can just go ahead and stop his fake outrage with this story. He and his buddies were ball tapping at that age just like we all were. It's a right of passage and the kid who doesn't want to be identified is obviously just the kid in school with the overbearing helicopter mom.

P.S. - Apparently too much ball tapping causes urinary tract problems and intense pain so maybe these kids should cut back the nut taps. When you do it too often it loses its comedic effect. And one of the kids in the story used a monkey wrench. That's just psychotic.