Read my following posts where I say the same thing.
Defense, can anybody play anywhere?
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I'm not anti-lefty catcher, but it's pretty clearly a disadvantage in more scenarios (and more important scenarios) than it is an advantage (throws to third, throws to second because most batters are right-handed, and tag plays all come to mind immediately).
I look at it like this: Left-handed hitters are at an inherent advantage, but it doesn't mean you don't have righties in the lineup. It doesn't mean right-handed hitters can't be great. But the game is designed in such a way that a lefty hitter has an advantage. The same is true for a right-handed catcher. Doesn't mean you can't have a great left-handed catcher, and a coach shouldn't just dismiss a lefty catcher out of hand.
radness
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- Dec 13, 2019
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Smart perspective on the technical aspects coachJD!!.
Again i bring this up...
At a certain competitive level defensive positions have technical mechanics that are required!!!!!!
Most of the feedback in these posts are talking about young players developing.
However there is a second part of this post regarding
Goals.
Talking about what are people intending on doing.
What age do most make a specific decision?
Perhaps by 2nd year 12u?
Athletes do select Primary and most of the time 'A' secondary position. Not everyone keeps shuffling all over!
Position player goals and those requirements need to be trained to be the STARTER.
Goals play a role in this !!!
Examples:
Foot work at all the bases are different. Add from different sides of the field.
Handling pick off's and back pic's from the catcher are different at each base.
Outfield developing split second knowledge on throwing decisions.
Ie: no hesitation.
These are critical moments in the game!
Top Tier softball takes really great game reaction learned experience to be able to handle situations.
Cannot have slow reaction times at the high speed softball is played at certain competive levels.
Perhaps this part of the discussion is focusing on how to get out of average and when and how to make a decision to be a more competitive level softball player!!!
Previously read someone commenting on college coaches wanting a well-rounded player. I think from this discussion we can already tell that at younger ages players are exposed to all different positions . Obviously from camp clinics that are out there people are getting fly balls and grounders. So I will be more specific in this next question.
When you get to an age where you are going to a showcase they will ask you to sign up "are you an infielder or an outfielder?" and guess what... you pick. Not so much do you get to do Outfield and infield you will generally do one or the other. There is a difference between showcasing and just going to clinics where you're learning.
Where everybody does 20 minutes at a station and rotates. I am talking about colleges taking a look at athletes to pick them up for technical performance.
In all my years of experience Most of the tim college coaches have a specific position they are looking to fill and it is separated into Middle infielder corners and outfielders. P&C. Additionally they do want to know if P&C play a secondary position or not.
Glad the website is available for different exeriences to be shared.
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- Jun 8, 2016
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Outside of her 1st year of t-ball (where she played 1st because she was the only one who catch a ball thrown at her), my DD has played MI 99% of the time so in addition to the basic skills of catch grounders, throwing properly and catching fly balls I have worked with her on specific MI skills e.g. proper (shorter) arm action when throwing (this still needs work
) , DP feeds and turns, proper angles to take on balls, etc. I have been doing this since she was maybe 8. Right now when she fields a GB in the OF she fields it like an INF and throws it like an INF but should she be on a team where she is needed in the OF for whatever reason, the outside of team practice work would shift to concentrate on that.IMO, it is really difficult to excel at more than a position or two, the number of hours in a day are limited. You can be adequate or even good at multiple positions (see MLB utility players) but excelling is a different story. Give a kid the basic skills for all positions (again I am not talking about catching or pitching, my DD has no interest in either of these luckily
) which they can then build upon if they need to switch from the few positions which are their primary positions at the moment and then concentrate on working with them on position specific skills for their current primary positions. That is what I would I do if I coached kids (other than my own) from 8-12 YO. If practices are run efficiently (unfortunately this is a big if..) this can be accomplished in a 1.5 hour practice session (outside work besides team practices would still be necessary to excel imo for all but the 6 sigma athletes...).All that said, if they can mash a coach will find a way to get them in the lineup 99% of the time LOL!!
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At 12u and 14u I worked closely with the other team coaches to provide specialized practices. In addition to regular team practices, we would have occasional practices that were dedicated strictly to middle infield, corner infield, outfield, or pitcher/catcher (fielding). My DD loved practice and loved hanging out with her teammates, so she typically attended all of these practices. Over the years, she played every position except center field, and if you ever saw her run, you would know why Honestly, most of her time was spent at 1b or 3b whenever she wasn't pitching, but she was capable of filling in at other positions when needed. Even catching a couple games at 12u. She was also asked to play shortstop as a pickup player for another team (and did rather well). I agree with others that it is difficult to excel at more than one or two positions, but having some experience at various positions definitely helps in the long run. When she arrived at high school ball, she ended up being the only travel ball player on the team. The rest of the team had very limited experience (nothing above rec ball, and some didn't even have that). There were several situations that she would leave the circle after a pitch in order to cover another player's position because they blew the coverage. She only knew how to do this because of her past experiences.
Honestly, most of her time was spent at 1b or 3b whenever she wasn't pitching, but she was capable of filling in at other positions when needed. Even catching a couple games at 12u. She was also asked to play shortstop as a pickup player for another team (and did rather well). I agree with others that it is difficult to excel at more than one or two positions, but having some experience at various positions definitely helps in the long run. When she arrived at high school ball, she ended up being the only travel ball player on the team. The rest of the team had very limited experience (nothing above rec ball, and some didn't even have that). There were several situations that she would leave the circle after a pitch in order to cover another player's position because they blew the coverage. She only knew how to do this because of her past experiences.
Obviously if a single sport kid is far superior at
the game the coach is taking that player. And sometimes that far superior player becomes a one sport athlete because of her success and the joy she gets from being successful, not just from her practicing but her ability.
But if all things are equal, the kid who has focused only on one sport probably doesn’t have as much upside as the kid who traveled for softball but also spent time playing basketball and volleyball in school. Once that kid starts to focus on one sport, what’s her ceiling?
Plus the multi sport kid shows that they pick up concepts and coaching quickly. The single sport kid, you aren’t sure because they never branches out. .
I dont believe that anybody can play anywhere on defense. There are girls that can play the position and girls that play the position
