Question on positions

[CoogansBluff]

... she is taking a break from pitching and wants to focus more on infield. The current team she is on already has a set infield and DD was never included in that so we have told her current coach we will be exploring other options that might have an infield opportunity for her. FYI - coach understands and has been playing DD more at 1B and DD is doing really awesome.

... Honestly DD has played outfield and she is not good. She still wears a facemask in the outfield and has caught crap from other outfielders on her team about it. DH was an outfielder in college and he has tried to work with her and he is now pretty positive that she is not outfield material. She is hesitant and not aggressive out there which is crazy because she is super aggressive on the infield. She is pretty fearless on that dirt but put her back in the grass and she is a different player.

Couple of thoughts when I read this ...

By your description, you have a ''strong infielder,'' but not strong enough in the opinion of the current coach to be trusted at 3B/SS/2B. You also have a weak outfielder who doesn't want to play OF.

So, do you want to find a team where players move around a lot? Or do you want to find a team where she would be a starting infielder and generally stay there?

If I'm a coach and here a prospective new player described like this, I'm thinking, 'That's fine - as long as she's definitely one of the 4 that I want in the infield. Otherwise, she's a defensive liability. If I put her in the infield, I'm benching one of my better infielders. If I put her in the outfield, she's unhappy and besides that can't catch a fly ball.

Nothing wrong with your DD's desire to play IF, but just know that it might limit her. I don't know many strong infielders who are terrible outfielders unless they are limited in range or just hate it. At 14U, it becomes more fun and challenging.

 

[KPower]

I also think some of the "outfield is where you put your worst players" mentality is still with the girls at 12U when in fact outfield starts to become very exciting at 12U - so many more plays are made out there. The stands go crazy when girls make those amazing diving catches or impossible throws home from CF. 10U for the most part is boring in the outfield. But the game shifts so much as they age up. I know last year when DD's team moved up there were alot of girls who didn't want to play outfield - and now only want to play outfield.

I think another thing that coaches want at this age (and correct me if I'm wrong) is a girl with the "put me where you need me" mentality. It shows what a true team player they are and how coachable they are. .

 

[nikkilugi]

A lot of TB coaches recruit athletes and then find a position for them, the same holds true in college. I bet 80% of college players (non-pitchers and catchers) were SS on their TB team. The best thing you can do it make your DD as versatile as possible and I would recommend lots of time in the batting cage, because if your DD is going to play 1B, she had better be able to knock the cover off the ball at the older age groups. The comment about your DD being afraid of the ball in the outfield is a concern - if she is afraid of catching pop flies in the outfield you might want to consider soccer.

I wouldn't say she is afraid and if I did say that I misspoke. However, she does wear her facemask and she does catch crap. She also doesn't care. I have told her that she wears a facemask on the infield because I don't want her face smashed at close range - but an outfield ball would likely not do major damage. I think she is just so comfortable with her mask she wears it everywhere. She can catch balls hit to her or in her direct area (side to side) - she can't track forward or back very well. I am the person who practices with her - I am TERRIBLE at trying to hit pop fly balls to her in the outfield. I also HATE it. So it is hard for her to get any practice outside of team practice.

She is the strongest hitter on her team. She has hit a walk off grand slam. Her last outing she cleared the loaded bases with a deep double to left center. She can certainly hit - no problems there.

She started sports by playing soccer - this is a HUGE soccer area. There are more competitive soccer leagues and teams than SB. However, she was not a fan so we moved on I was actually her soccer coach - I was not a fan either, lol.

**edited to add - I still get the soccer league "try out" emails for her...... yeah - no.

 

[nikkilugi]

Couple of thoughts when I read this ...

By your description, you have a ''strong infielder,'' but not strong enough in the opinion of the current coach to be trusted at 3B/SS/2B. You also have a weak outfielder who doesn't want to play OF.

So, do you want to find a team where players move around a lot? Or do you want to find a team where she would be a starting infielder and generally stay there?

If I'm a coach and here a prospective new player described like this, I'm thinking, 'That's fine - as long as she's definitely one of the 4 that I want in the infield. Otherwise, she's a defensive liability. If I put her in the infield, I'm benching one of my better infielders. If I put her in the outfield, she's unhappy and besides that can't catch a fly ball.

Nothing wrong with your DD's desire to play IF, but just know that it might limit her. I don't know many strong infielders who are terrible outfielders unless they are limited in range or just hate it. At 14U, it becomes more fun and challenging.

Actually she has played at 3rd on her current team as well. I won't get into the current coach's decisions on spots because it would be wrong of me to try and second guess the coach. I will say - she has her favorites at positions (no matter the # of errors) and leave it at that. Our current 3B is 12 and 5' 10'' and that is the only position she plays on the team. Other girls get a chance there when she is out of town at a BBall tournament

 

[iMlearning]

DD played 3rd base almost exclusively for years starting at about age 13. Later, when a coach would ask her to play a different position, she'd be really uncomfortable and she & we'd be upset about it. In high school they asked her to play 1st base the most because most of the balls were going to that side of the field and she was one of the taller girls. She also did some catching and second, but very little third. Her travel ball coach asked her to mainly play outfield. At first this was tough for her switching around but now she could care less where she plays. Today I know that she'll be catching one game and playing outfield in two games for her TB team. Tomorrow I believe she'll play some third also.
So, I believe that everyone should work on multiple positions and wish I wouldn't have wasted my time being upset over where she was playing. We practice taking grounders and fly balls from every position on the field even if she's not probably going to be playing there. Her college coach is thrilled that she's open and comfortable playing anywhere.

 

[grcsftbll]

My kid won't even warm up without her fielding mask. Of course at 10U that's still acceptable - our whole team wears them 100% of the time, including outfielders. It doesn't affect her play negatively and actually, it is probably better since she's more comfortable. Back in 8U she took a bad hop to the chin and ever since, it's mask all the time. If they're playing well I don't see why anyone cares.

 

[BobInMadison]

No problem if the 2 positions are IF and OF. If that's not the case, it just confirms that a lot of 12U TB team managers are lousy fortune tellers and end up doing their players a major disservice by pigeon holing them at that age.

Lots of truth to that.

About half of the girls on DD 3's TB team came from her previous team. Interesting to see how many of them are playing new positions, often because the competition for different positions is different. For example, one girl with serious wheels was moved from IF to OF. This girl only wanted to play 3B, but sometimes played SS on her old team. Too much competition for IF positions for her new team. Now it turns out she is seriously good at OF. She can cover lots of ground and make a great catch. Since so many balls get hit to the OF when DD 3 is pitching, this girl is now making all sorts of great catches, sometimes more than one in an inning.

 

[JAD]

I wouldn't say she is afraid and if I did say that I misspoke. However, she does wear her facemask and she does catch crap. She also doesn't care. I have told her that she wears a facemask on the infield because I don't want her face smashed at close range - but an outfield ball would likely not do major damage. I think she is just so comfortable with her mask she wears it everywhere. She can catch balls hit to her or in her direct area (side to side) - she can't track forward or back very well. I am the person who practices with her - I am TERRIBLE at trying to hit pop fly balls to her in the outfield. I also HATE it. So it is hard for her to get any practice outside of team practice.

If you are having a hard time hitting pop flies with softball, try a tennis racket and tennis balls. It may also help her get the confidence to remove the mask.

 

[marriard]

We have had mostly the same girls for the past 3 years...

In the two years in 12U most of the top girls on the team were playing 4 positions pretty regularly on Saturday and at least 2 on Sunday (depending on which one of them were pitching). Our less flexible players were still playing 2 positions, but generally working hard on what we thought they were capable of at their stage...We ran all practices where all girls did all fielding drills, and scrimmages everyone played all over the place.

As we got closer and then into 14U, it started becoming obvious which girls were best suited for positions physically and mentally. 2 of our less flexible girls have become outstanding outfielders and have no wish to come to the IF - total stars out there. One girl is our 3rd base and that is really the only place she can play (maybe 1st but we have a logjam there). Our Pitchers and Catchers play 2nd or 1st and occasionally RF when they are not pitching, but more and more the pitchers especially are getting games or least innings off to rest. At least 2 of our regular infield play in the OF at least 1 game per weekend. And we rotate the bench heavily. In practices we still have joint drills, but we also break specialists out for drills as well.

So in answer to the OP, in 14U almost everyone has a primary position plus a second position they play. Several have a third. On Saturday they move around a lot. On Sunday they move less, but still changes are made every game... and in scrimmages we occasionally have a 'first to get there, plays it' inning or two.

 

[Il softball fan]

Like others have said. The more positions she can play well, the more valuable she is to any team. My DD has played every position on the field, except for first base. At younger ages, she HATED outfield because of the stigma (right or wrong) of outfield is where your worst fielders get stuck. As she has gotten older, she realized that outfield gets more and more important. DD is very fast and able to track down a lot of balls that slower girls would not have a chance at. She loves making a good play in the outfield that noone would have expected her to make. She is playing 16U now, and plays center field, second, and catcher. Every once in a while she will make an appearance at pitcher.

And as far as the mask....if your DD is comfortable playing and wearing the mask, that is her decision to make. Hopefully people leave her alone about it.