- Jul 15, 2020
- 48
- 8
My 11yo is playing Competitive ball for the first time after many seasons on Rec. So this is brand new both in the rules of the game moving from 10U Rec to 12U Comp and just in intensity. She has a lot to learn, but she's enthusiastic and improving. We had our first games this weekend and she had a lot of bench time. That's ok. Our team didn't play well and frankly, she could make errors just as well as her teammates did, but again, I told her she's probably going to sit more than she's used to. She has to earn her spot. So at practice yesterday she asked her coaches what she needs to do and work on to earn an infield spot and was told, "Leftys don't really play infield." She was kinda crushed. Had she not asked, he never would have divulged that she's pretty much not getting the infield. He essentially told her "get used to the outfield -- I have no use for you in the infield because you're lefty." She can battle for a first base spot, but going against the four coaches' daughters who also like 1B is going to be tough.
It's 12U on a not-there-at-all-yet team, not the Yankees. Is this kind of mentality really true? Does she really only have one position that she's even remotely appropriate for (and chances are they won't let her play)? She likes 2B -- I know it takes more effort to play as a lefty, but is she really washed up in the infield unless she goes back to Rec (which she doesn't want to do)? Have I encouraged her to play a sport that she's genetically not suited for unless she plays outfield? (FWIW -- I love playing outfield, so no disrespect at all to our 7-8-9 girls, but there's a difference between wanting to play a position and being told you have to play it because your Leftyism disqualifies from playing any of the other 4 desired positions).
It's 12U on a not-there-at-all-yet team, not the Yankees. Is this kind of mentality really true? Does she really only have one position that she's even remotely appropriate for (and chances are they won't let her play)? She likes 2B -- I know it takes more effort to play as a lefty, but is she really washed up in the infield unless she goes back to Rec (which she doesn't want to do)? Have I encouraged her to play a sport that she's genetically not suited for unless she plays outfield? (FWIW -- I love playing outfield, so no disrespect at all to our 7-8-9 girls, but there's a difference between wanting to play a position and being told you have to play it because your Leftyism disqualifies from playing any of the other 4 desired positions).