- Oct 27, 2008
- 4
- 0
Been working with my grade school girls (3-6) about 2-3 times a month since September. One little girl I have been working with over this time came to me throwing and hitting left. She is eight years old, first year of coach pitch, and her fourth year of ball. She doesn't catch very well, and doesn't throw much better. Which after 4 years I thought would have been better.
Right before the Christmas Holidays I really started watching her a little more closely and something in her throwing mechanics just looked un-natural and awkward looking. Tried to make some corrections, that just didn't help. So I asked her to try catching and throwing right handed to have something to compare it to. Personally, she appeared to see and catch the ball better, not shying away from it, and her throws looked more natural and harder. I thought right then and there we should switch her to a right hand thrower, but never got the chance to mention it to her parents before they got away.
Two months have passed and I got the chance to work with this little girl again this past weekend and I'm still noticing this awkward lefty. So I asked her mom if we could switch her and have some other coaches evaluate. After three coaches watching her, one who is a lefty, we all agreed she seemed more confident and had better success catching and throwing the ball after just five minutes.
Now I'm in a delimma as to try and switch her or leave it alone???
My question is to any of you "Have you ever dealt with this situation and what did you do??" Or is there any sort of test or drills you used to better help you decide??
She has a beautiful lefty swing that I really don't want to switch, but I haven't even tried to let her swing righty.
Thanks!!
Shayne
Right before the Christmas Holidays I really started watching her a little more closely and something in her throwing mechanics just looked un-natural and awkward looking. Tried to make some corrections, that just didn't help. So I asked her to try catching and throwing right handed to have something to compare it to. Personally, she appeared to see and catch the ball better, not shying away from it, and her throws looked more natural and harder. I thought right then and there we should switch her to a right hand thrower, but never got the chance to mention it to her parents before they got away.
Two months have passed and I got the chance to work with this little girl again this past weekend and I'm still noticing this awkward lefty. So I asked her mom if we could switch her and have some other coaches evaluate. After three coaches watching her, one who is a lefty, we all agreed she seemed more confident and had better success catching and throwing the ball after just five minutes.
Now I'm in a delimma as to try and switch her or leave it alone???
My question is to any of you "Have you ever dealt with this situation and what did you do??" Or is there any sort of test or drills you used to better help you decide??
She has a beautiful lefty swing that I really don't want to switch, but I haven't even tried to let her swing righty.
Thanks!!
Shayne