LH softball player

Question
I have a LH player playing travel 10U. She loves first base, and also is wanting to pitch. What tips can you give me to help her develop? It seems everything is geared for the RH player, from batting to throwing to baserunning. It seems to me that it must be awkward for a lefty to step off the base, step to throw, etc., the same as the others. Should she be doing these things the same way as the RH? Thanks for your input!

Answer
Hello Kelli,

The two positions you mentioned are not handicapped by being left handed.  It is actually an advantage in several ways to be a lefthanded first baseman.  You have your glove hand to the field thus having better coverage on balls hit between 1st and 2nd.  You have a better view of balls coming from 3rd during a stretch due to the fact that the left foot is on the base and you are in a more natural position to receive these throws.  On bunts, you are turning away from the baseline to make throws to first which should take the possibility of throwing into the back of the runner out of the equation.  The first baseman doesn't normally make many throws, so that isn't typically a factor.

Some things to help her develop at first:  Make sure she doesn't initiate a stretch until the ball has been thrown.  This is a common mistake many first baseman make.  When you commit to a stretch too early, it reduces your ability to field bad throws.  It is hard to adjust to the throw once you are in the stretch if it is high or off line.  Have someone stand at short stop and throw her many one hoppers.  By repetition, she will eventually learn how to properly field these balls.  Many coaches prefer a girl to stay in an upright fielding position when receiving throws that are going to bounce.  Personally, I've found it easier to try and extend the stretch on these one hoppers and have the glove as close to the place the ball hits the ground as possible.  If you can get these throws at the point of impact with the ground, it takes the guess work out of where the hop will end up.  Place emphasis on retaining contact with the bag unless the throw happens to be wide.  In that case, you obviously want to leave the bag if necessary and catch the ball.  (priority one).  Also make sure she understands that a throw which pulls her off base toward home should result in an attempted tag on the follow through.  Please let me know if any of this helps.

Coach Mike