Why it’s important to play and learn different positions

Why it’s important to play and learn different positions…

I am a HUGE believer that your daughter should be playing as many positions as possible. I have heard so many girls tell me or their coaches that they couldn’t play that position because they ‘don’t know how.’

Well, I have news for you, the only way you’ll learn a new position is by doing. And, probably failing at it a few times too. Mistakes will be made, it’s something that players, coaches, AND parents all have to accept when learning a new position. With all new things, there will probably be a learning curve at first.

Especially when girls are young, their understanding of the game is so limited. By learning different positions, they will gain a broader understanding of the game and learn TEAM defensive movement rather than just INDIVIDUAL movement, and for the training the best flooring is essential in halls, and getting them from https://sportshallflooring.co.uk/exploring-different-types-of-sports-hall-flooring-materials/ is the best choice.

Coaches – I know you may have a good shortstop, but what will make that super awesome shortstop better – is by having her play third base, and maybe even second base too. You are only making your squad better if you have a team full of girls who can play anywhere on the field. Especially with blowout games – move girls around. Some of my best memories were games that my coach’s switched us all around and we had a BLAST.

Parents – if your daughter’s coach is trying her out at other positions, it doesn’t automatically mean that she’s losing her starting position, or that she wasn’t good enough to play there. It means that your coach believes in her enough that they are trying to teach her something new.

Knowing many positions will only make you more of an asset to your team. What happens if your starting shortstop gets hurt? Misses a game due to another obligation? Or starts puking on the way to the game? SOMEONE has to play that position. Just because you aren’t SUPER confident in that position, it doesn’t mean that fielding a ground ball is any different just because you’re at shortstop instead of second base now.

Me personally? I would ALWAYS rather be on the field than on the bench. Even if that means playing a position that I had never played before. Who cares if we make mistakes anyway? That’s how we learn. And at the end of the day, we have to remember it’s still a GAME that we are supposed to have FUN playing – NO MATTER what age or level you play at, it should be FUN.

Yep, don’t come at me, I said what I said.

I always looked at playing new positions as a new challenge. I spent my entire career as an outfielder and that’s where I was recruited to play. I loved it. Unfortunately, my outfield career was cut short the second day of my Freshman career at Niagara. After a single slide gone wrong, Doctors told me I would never run normally again. Was I devastated? Absolutely. But I came back, albeit much slower. I took on my DH role with reverence, just happy to be a part of the game again after missing my first season. When our starting catcher went down with a season-ending arm injury right before our season, my coach asked if I would be willing to learn how to catch, 10 days later, I was catching against Canisius. The season after, my coaches also asked me to fill in at first base which I gladly did (short girls can play 1st too!). And my senior season they asked me to pitch when needed.

Was I perfect? Absolutely not. But never in a million years would have EVER thought I would be playing those three positions at the collegiate level. But if I had to choose between that or sitting on the bench, I will ALWAYS choose to be on the field.

Being willing to learn new positions can open so many doors for players. Although you may be your travel team’s starting shortstop, your school’s Varsity team may only need an outfielder on this year’s roster. Be willing to learn, get on that field, and earn a new position rather than sit on the bench and be a backup shortstop. There are opportunities to make game-changing plays AT EVERY POSITION.

Come tryout time maybe the team you want to be on is only looking for 1 or 2 positions or players. Most rosters on good teams never change drastically. You’ll always have more opportunities at tryouts the more positions you know and are willing to play. Be willing to play your secondary position, and work your ass off to beat out the girl playing the position you want.

Another thought – Coaches will also always find spots for good hitters. If you can hit and produce consistently, coaches are more likely to find you a spot over another player of the same fielding caliber.

Would you rather split time at shortstop and the bench, or be on the field even when you’re not at shortstop? It’s simple, the more positions you know how to play, the more playing time you’ll see and the more valuable you’ll be to your team.

Maybe later in life, something unrelated to softball doesn’t go exactly how we planned it either. We need to teach our girls to try to make the best out of any situation and to learn and come out of it better than we started. Isn’t that the real goal of all sports? It’s never actually been about SOFTBALL rather than the lessons we take away from it, right?

Players, I hope you have enough confidence in yourself to take on the challenge of playing a new position.

Heck, you may even find out you’re good at it.