Friend of mine DD tried out for her high school team freshman year up untill then only played infield.Coach asked the girls who can play outfield no one raised their hand except his DD who said "coach I will play any where you or the team needs we to play".She not only made varsity that year but started the whole year.As the years went on she moved to the infield.She now is a senior and starting SS.My DD has only played the infield,but with this new team every player takes infield and outfield practice.Shows that DD needs outfield practice.It will help DD to be a more flexible player.It may make the difference of making her high school team.
DD’s Position
- Thread starter quincy
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From 8U to 2nd year 12U, my DD only played 2nd base. She was very good at it and was comfortable playing there. I, as assistant coach, always tried to get her to play different positions but would be overruled by the head coach. Third year 12U, (she was playing up 1st 2 years) she played for an A level team with the promise she would rotate between 2nd and center field. Long story, but she wound up playing SS. The following year (14U) she started in LF and really enjoyed it. 14U out field gets alot of action. So in the last 3 years she has learned to play SS, all outfield positions, and even 3rd base. She is now comfortable almost anywhere you can put her.
She is a freshman in HS this year and made varsity as a "utility" player. She has played 2nd, LF, CF, and RF. She wasn't real happy when I first told her she needed to play other positions, but now a days "ol' dad" is a genious. (or at least not as stupid as originally thought
)
I think it helped her to play 2nd as long as she did because she learned to play it very well. When she was older, that gave her more confidence to learn, and get comfortable at, other positions. Not saying the way she did it is best, but now she is happy anywhere she plays. Every team seems to have 6 or 7 2nd basemen, so they can fight over it, DD will play RF if that's what is needed. Flexible players are valuable.
She is a freshman in HS this year and made varsity as a "utility" player. She has played 2nd, LF, CF, and RF. She wasn't real happy when I first told her she needed to play other positions, but now a days "ol' dad" is a genious. (or at least not as stupid as originally thought
)I think it helped her to play 2nd as long as she did because she learned to play it very well. When she was older, that gave her more confidence to learn, and get comfortable at, other positions. Not saying the way she did it is best, but now she is happy anywhere she plays. Every team seems to have 6 or 7 2nd basemen, so they can fight over it, DD will play RF if that's what is needed. Flexible players are valuable.
- May 14, 2010
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As softball becomes more about offense, look at it this way. If you can only play 1 or 2 positions, you have to be the best hitter at those positions to play. If you can play anywhere, you only have to be among the best 7-8 hitters on the team to find a spot.
Don't know if that analogy works on paper. But it does in my mind.
Don't know if that analogy works on paper. But it does in my mind.
Makes sense to me. Like I aways tell my kids, you hit your way into the lineup and fielding keeps you there.
I donʻt know that there is an age where players settle into a position. Any player that is settled into a position by 12U, IMHO, is sort of "stuck."
What if they end up on a team with a total stud in that position. Now what?
Utility player is EXTREMELY valuable and something Iʻve heard DI college coaches say they like to find. This player is not only typically athletic, they also typically have a great team player attitude. Developing sound softball skills for more than one position (grounders, fly balls, force outs, etc) just makes her more flexible and will likely allow her to be easier to find a place for in the lineup.
When you have a player that can play only one position and they are a detriment defensively anywhere else yet they canʻt beat out the person in front of them in their primary position - thatʻs not a good situation to be in for any player.
What if they end up on a team with a total stud in that position. Now what?
Utility player is EXTREMELY valuable and something Iʻve heard DI college coaches say they like to find. This player is not only typically athletic, they also typically have a great team player attitude. Developing sound softball skills for more than one position (grounders, fly balls, force outs, etc) just makes her more flexible and will likely allow her to be easier to find a place for in the lineup.
When you have a player that can play only one position and they are a detriment defensively anywhere else yet they canʻt beat out the person in front of them in their primary position - thatʻs not a good situation to be in for any player.
At your DD's age I was a stud shortstop. Got every ball, was fast and loved it.
By 14 I was a state first base player. Never missed a ball. Would go charging into a fence to get the out. Even now I still have very little get past me.
At 21 I was a top pitcher. (obviously this won't be the case for your DD, we play a lot older here) Still am. People LOL when I say I used to be a good shortstop. Now I would be terrible at it.
She's too young to settle on on position.
In regards to pitcher/first base I've always found that first base is a criminally underrated position. Pitchers are put there because they can't throw. It's thought that anyone can be a good first base. Even now when I play it, people will comment on my footwork that most first base's can't do, most first base's won't stretch, and most can't track the ball from the hand to know where it's coming from. You have a player who can do that, you've got your weight in gold.
By 14 I was a state first base player. Never missed a ball. Would go charging into a fence to get the out. Even now I still have very little get past me.
At 21 I was a top pitcher. (obviously this won't be the case for your DD, we play a lot older here) Still am. People LOL when I say I used to be a good shortstop. Now I would be terrible at it.
She's too young to settle on on position.
In regards to pitcher/first base I've always found that first base is a criminally underrated position. Pitchers are put there because they can't throw. It's thought that anyone can be a good first base. Even now when I play it, people will comment on my footwork that most first base's can't do, most first base's won't stretch, and most can't track the ball from the hand to know where it's coming from. You have a player who can do that, you've got your weight in gold.
Normally, I hate middle school ball.
My DGD has only been playing fastpitch for three years. She settled on catching because no one else wanted to play it. She was a natural because she is athletic, fearless, coachable (coaches, not her dad or grandpa), and works hard to learn. She has become a monster behind the plate (opposing coaches words not mine).
Thankfully, her TB coach will not let her catch every game and lets her DH or play the OF, never the infield.
Well, I go to her first middle school game and lo and behold she is playing third base. She is twice as good as the starting catcher, but apparently the coach needed her at third to put the strongest team on the field.
About the third inning a sharp ball is hit between 3rd and SS. DGD moves left stretches out, collects the ball and throws a strike to 1b. She later makes several other plays perfectly. Without middle school ball, who would have known?
She will be moving up next year to a new team (14u) so hopefully she will be able to play more positions. Not so much so she can get good at them, but to give her a better understanding of the total game of softball and how all the pieces work together.
My DGD has only been playing fastpitch for three years. She settled on catching because no one else wanted to play it. She was a natural because she is athletic, fearless, coachable (coaches, not her dad or grandpa
), and works hard to learn. She has become a monster behind the plate (opposing coaches words not mine).Thankfully, her TB coach will not let her catch every game and lets her DH or play the OF, never the infield.
Well, I go to her first middle school game and lo and behold she is playing third base. She is twice as good as the starting catcher, but apparently the coach needed her at third to put the strongest team on the field.
About the third inning a sharp ball is hit between 3rd and SS. DGD moves left stretches out, collects the ball and throws a strike to 1b. She later makes several other plays perfectly. Without middle school ball, who would have known?
She will be moving up next year to a new team (14u) so hopefully she will be able to play more positions. Not so much so she can get good at them, but to give her a better understanding of the total game of softball and how all the pieces work together.
- Feb 3, 2011
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It's nothing like that here in NorCal. In 8u through 12u, for the most part, the pitchers are our best athletes. Our pitchers typically have the best arms, too. Most put-outs are at 1B, so coaches put someone there who are most likely catch anything thrown in their direction.
Our 2 starting pitchers are also our 2 starting first basemen and it seems that is true for many of the teams we play.
But, I am also developing a few other players at that position. The girls are young, so of course there's time for them to become successful at other positions, but 2 are tall lefties that aren't super fast in the field. I'm really proud of them.
Another post made me think of this one. After 7 games DD has played all 8 positions she is allowed to, she is not allowed to C. She is having a good time.
Is it just me or do a lot of the players look the same, it takes me a minute or so to find her on the field.
Is it just me or do a lot of the players look the same, it takes me a minute or so to find her on the field.
- May 14, 2010
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Last year I had a girl that 'Only played middle infield'. I asked if she would be interested in trying anything else, and she said she wanted to focus on those positions. So when she was beat out for both starting spots... She picked splinters out of her butt. Because she refused to be flexible.
