Switching Throwing from Lefty to Righty

[Cowdogz]

Perhaps misguided, but what's wrong with having kid that can throw with either hand? I coached a girl from age 9-12 who could throw equally well with both hands. She finally settled in as a lefty as a 12-y/o.

DS #1 writes left handed, and throws right-handed. DS #2 throws right-handed, and bats lefty.

 

[RichK]

Have her catch. Lots of fastpitch lefty catchers...

 

[softballphreak]

Have her catch. Lots of fastpitch lefty catchers...

My DD was a catcher and she used to say occasionally that she wish she were left handed. She thought she would have a better throw to 1st.

 

[softballphreak]

Perhaps misguided, but what's wrong with having kid that can throw with either hand? I coached a girl from age 9-12 who could throw equally well with both hands. She finally settled in as a lefty as a 12-y/o.

DS #1 writes left handed, and throws right-handed. DS #2 throws right-handed, and bats lefty.

Not saying anything is wrong with being able to throw with either hand. But I don't see the sense in trying to change a perfectly good left-hander. LOTS of stuff to work on as it is! Can't believe that being left handed would be a significant issue at 10U, either.

 

[leftypitchermom]

Me too. I tune out when I hear that. My DD is a natural lefty and it never crossed my mind to have here try to throw RH. Leave her be and work on her natural throwing, fielding and hitting. Perhaps if her hitting is really good she'll make 1B over the slow girls, whom I assume are on the team because of their bats.

You are absolutely right - they are on team because of good bats! She has a good bat as well but not as consent yet.

Thank you all for your comments - my husband has now seen the error of his ways, so to speak, and it is no longer a discussion!

 

[SB23]

I love my lefty !!!

 

[chinamigarden]

If your dd can learn how to throw right handed, so well that she can unseat the current SS or thirdbasemen on the team she is on... either she is a physical freak (in a good way) or you need to find a team with better fielders.

My dd is left handed. She also pitches and plays first. She has hit that log jam at first base and played a lot of outfield in the past 2 years and she has been rewarded for her efforts. (she is a HS senior) But she also found a coach who was willing to let her try things out and she won the back up SS job for the last 2 summers. When the #2 pitcher pitched my dd took over at SS. She has very good footwork and can make most of the plays the RH ss should make and many that they can't. Don't try to change your dd, it wont do you any good.

 

[nicelag]

WHAT?! Sounds good in theory, but you have got to be kidding me. Do you know what players play outfield in college? Most of them were the best infielders on their travel ball teams at one point.

Let me speak from some experience here. My stepsisters husband is left handed. That being said he wanted his son to be left handed for baseball reasons. So, whenever he would do something right handed his dad would then stop, say "no", and switch everything to the left hand. Overtime the kid eventually started doing everything left handed. Today he is 8 years old, and though he does everything left handed he struggles severely with hand eye coordination with relation to catching. You can pull it off hitting, but doesn't work near as well with catching and throwing. Bottom line, if she was meant to be right handed she would have been!

Best thing you can do is work with her so she becomes proficient at every position. I know you said her current team is overloaded with 1st baseman. Well, that means she is probably the 3rd or 4th best first baseman right? It sounds like she and her dad are settling, and throwing in the towel. My guess if she was at 2nd, ss or 3rd she would probably be a backup there too. So, instead of taking all of that time and struggle to convert her to right handed, how about using that time to make her a better first baseman. That would take a fraction of the time. Like Lisa Fernandez says "never settle"!, and like I always tell my DD "never be happy with where you are at. If you don't want to work to make it to the top someone else will".

 

[SoAZDad]

Three words: utility, utility, utility.