Expert: Steve Nicollerat - 10/15/2011

Question
Mr. Nicollerat,
My son is a natural right hander does every thing right handed.  He is 9.  Last year he played up with the 10 year old travel teams.  He is a very hard worker and constantly wants to work on his own.  Over the summer he started hitting his wiffle balls (with a wood bat left handed).  He asked both his travel coaches if he could try switch hitting this year and they declined.  He has a hitting coach he works with monthly.  He believes my son should not play up.  He wants him on a team that will offer the chance to switch hit.  I am like any dad.  I think my kid the best thing since sliced bread.  

My question would you suggest he plays down with kids his own age to get the switch hitting experience?  My other concern is the work.  He always wants to practice.  Now I have him practicing about 50-50 right to left.

Answer
Hi John,
Thanks for the question.

Find a team that will allow him to hit from both sides. To find a kid that works this hard and wants to take the risk at hitting from both sides. Let him go for it.

When you are looking for this new team--find a program that will practice once/twice per week. Games are fun and the kids should play games--just not 60 per summer. 30-40 games and good practices is great.

Keep me posted on his progress.
Steve