How many positions can you play well?

[HunterMO]

On DD's new team she has played 3B and 2B about 30 to 40 percent of the time, along with SS. I like it. Actually I think she would make a great CF as well but there is only so much moving around a coach can do and still try and be somewhat competitive (some of the kids who play OF would really have a tough time in the IF).

DD's team is similar in the fact that she won't see a ton of OF time because our IF would look like swiss cheese. I'd like to have her see more OF time just so she could be more comfortable reading high hit balls. She's not the most fleet of foot so I don't know that CF will ever be an option for her.

She's also likely not going to be a tall human. So, I don't know how long 1B will be an option for her as she continues to climb the competitive ladder over the next few years.

 

[Orange Socks]

DD played for an organization that held program wide practices that included 14U-18U ages, along with all the coaches. As you can imagine the field was a buzzin' with activity. What I liked is that players were free to move about the various infield positions as the 2 coaches hit fungo on both sides of the plate. DD got reps at 3rd and then moved to SS and then went to 1B. There were usually minimum of 4 players at each position and players would usually fill the gaps if the line got to small. Balls were being hit rapid fire and balls were flying all over the place. I loved it! It was snappy and fast. My DD was an 8th grader among the big girls and she really grew with her skills. I see too many programs that have teams in their silos and don't really share ideas and practice programs. The younger players really get a lot out of these types of practices. Drill and kill. It prepares them for college camps when there are 80 girls on 2 fields with the college coaches conducting the same style of drills.

 

[clemenslee1]

On DD's new team she has played 3B and 2B about 30 to 40 percent of the time, along with SS. I like it. Actually I think she would make a great CF as well but there is only so much moving around a coach can do and still try and be somewhat competitive (some of the kids who play OF would really have a tough time in the IF).

Is that because of ability or lack of experience?

 

[_MIA_]

Is that because of ability or lack of experience?

Well one of them is LH so that limits her. I think two kids play OF/IF and one kid plays OF/Catcher. One of the other OF moved with Marcela from her old team and that coach never moved kids around at all so in her case it would be lack of experience. Her current coach has everybody do both IF and OF drills in practice so that is good. That said they only play 2 kids at SS and the other SS doesn't play any OF either for the most part (they both may have gotten 3 or 4 innings out there all year).

 

[Tango]

Pitcher and 2nd base primary.
Can play SS but not as athletic as the good ones.
Can play 3rd but not her best position.
Can play LF and RF.
To short for 1st but can play it.

 

[clemenslee1]

Well one of them is LH so that limits her. I think two kids play OF/IF and one kid plays OF/Catcher. One of the other OF moved with Marcela from her old team and that coach never moved kids around at all so in her case it would be lack of experience. Her current coach has everybody do both IF and OF drills in practice so that is good. That said they only play 2 kids at SS and the other SS doesn't play any OF either for the most part (they both may have gotten 3 or 4 innings out there all year).

That's not too bad. The stuff that drives my up the wall personally, is that a lot of kids, get shoehorned into OF at all times and don't get the experience in IF. They might do drills for IF at practice, but they don't actually get the experience in putting into action game time. Granted there are things like LH, or something. I understand that moving around happens less as you get older. I also understand there is a balance to being competitive as a team.

 

[Vertigo]

Dd turned down a college because they wanted her as a PO - didn’t want her to hit or play any other position. Coach said all his pitchers are PO’s.

The college she will be attending asked to see her pitch, play 2B (her other primary position), SS, and OF. Coach told her they want her in the field when not pitching due to her bat and speed. Definitely can benefit a player to get comfortable at different positions!

 

[RichK]

I think it's really hard on a team with high-level expectations to shift between IF and OF -- they are very specialized, high-rep skill positions IMO. You have to be an outstanding athlete to do so. Catchers are strange. We had two players who both caught and played shortstop -- you wouldn't think that combo would work but they were just that skilled. But neither had the wheels to play OF

I don't disagree that sometimes players can do surprisingly well when changing position. But I know as a coach I have to be really comfortable to make a move that doesn't seem obvious...even 1B is a high-skill position done properly.

 

[ang2bmd]

Interesting reading everyone's experiences. My DD is an 06. Has played SS for the highest organization in the midwest since she was 9...every inning. Started at SS for her HS varsity team as well so has no experience playing anywhere else. It will be interesting to see if a college coach finds that limiting. At HS tryouts she played outfield as well as our 3 d1 committed outfielders but that's all I've ever seen of her at another position. She's ridiculously athletic and runs a 2.65 home to first, personally I think a coach would be crazy to think he couldn't teach her to do anything he wanted.

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[canyonjoe]

Interesting reading everyone's experiences. My DD is an 06. Has played SS for the highest organization in the midwest since she was 9...every inning. Started at SS for her HS varsity team as well so has no experience playing anywhere else. It will be interesting to see if a college coach finds that limiting. At HS tryouts she played outfield as well as our 3 d1 committed outfielders but that's all I've ever seen of her at another position. She's ridiculously athletic and runs a 2.65 home to first, personally I think a coach would be crazy to think he couldn't teach her to do anything he wanted.

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Does she know how to play 2nd. I just ask that because we had a kid who was a really good SS. We needed her to play 2nd for a couple of games due to an injury and she had no idea how to play it. This was at 14U but I was shocked she didn't at least know the basic cuts.