Lefty Progress

I'm getting surprisingly good at playing Ultimate left-handed. Some of it is no doubt just from repeatedly trying to throw left handed and slowly improving. But I think how I think about playing has also begun to change too.

I'm definitely more cautious. I don't have as high percentage throws as I used to. I don't have the range that I used to. So now when I run and catch the disc, I either look for a wide open cut, or something easy & open close by. Most times in game this means just throwing my backhand no matter what the force. Unfortunately that hasn't always been an option, resulting in some okay and some laughable left-handed flicks. But again, I should have a somewhat catchable left handed flick that goes at least 5 feet. That's not that tall of a feat to ask.

I'd like to think i'm also running harder. I'm more content playing fewer points in a game because at the end of most points, I'm probably exhausted. Which works well, since we usually have about 3 lines of subs at our games now anyways. Not everyone is on board with the number of folks we have, but I like it. All the more time to just hang out with friends on the sideline.

Jabs asked me last night what I was thinking about doing in Spring, when Winter league was over. Would I stay left-handed? What would I hope to gain from playing lefty all winter?

Firstly, I hope the all the running upfield will make me a better cutter. I'd like to stay as a cutter if I can -- we have plenty of folks with good hands to handle. I just need to have the speed and the stamina to keep cutting, and the presence of mind to not get tired, and then lazily hover back until I'm a de-facto handler again. This is prettymuch how I used to do it. :)

Second, I'm hoping all this readjusting to a shorter, high percentage range sticks. If I can get pretty good (let's say about 80%) with short throws using my left hand, then it should easily be a 100% distance when I switch back to my right. You know, the throwing hand that I've been working with for, what, over 5 years now? My hucks will obviously improve, too, although not by as much (I'd put my longer lefty hucks at about 10-15% right now.) I've also stopped relying on the inside-out break, which really  means I'm not forcing harder throws because I don't see an easy one open upfield. That's a job I'll leave to the handlers.

Finally, I'd like to still have fun. Focusing on my game has been almost zen-like. I'm not really coaching, so I haven't been stressed about how the team has been doing as a whole. I've just been worried about improving as a player. And even that, I haven't been too worried about.

Hopefully that's what will stick. And if it doesn't, well, I might just have to keep playing lefty.