The Perks Of Being Versatile, By Former Arizona Softball Star Hallie Wilson

The Perks Of Being Versatile, By Former Arizona Softball Star Hallie Wilson

Softball star Hallie Wilson joins the FloSoftball writing staff to share her thoughts about the benefits of being a versatile player.

Jun 8, 2018 by Chez Sievers
The Perks Of Being Versatile, By Former Arizona Softball Star Hallie Wilson

USSSA Pride utility player and former Arizona Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Hallie Wilson joins the FloSoftball writing staff. Her first article is about the benefits of being versatile in a right-handers world.


I’m a purebred lefty. I was born into the 10 percent of the population who seemingly does everything backwards. Lefties are forced to be versatile — especially in sports, and most definitely in softball. 

The field was engineered to cater to the right-handed fielder. I remember coaches telling my parents that I couldn’t be a catcher, middle infielder, or third basemen because I would be too slow. It made me feel limited. My mom, also a lefty (#leftypower) refused to accept that. And partly because of her, I now get to say I am a professional utility player for the USSSA Pride. 

I was lucky enough to grow up in an area that is pulsing with ultra-competitive athletics: more practice, more work, and more athletic growth. Southern California is a true fastpitch softball mecca. With high-energy team practices, weekly lessons, and quality games every weekend, it's impossible to be a competitive softball player without putting in extra work. 

Devoted To Defense

My love for defense began at Howard Kobata’s weekly fielding lessons in Santa Ana, California. Families would drive from various cities to the neighborhood and park next to the train tracks. The park had only one field with a rickety backstop and instead of a fence; huge trees lined the outfield, leaving a massive shadow so the small field was never fully dry. 

Kobata crafted an environment in which athletes were pushed to master the art of soft hands, rhythmic feet, and a quick release. Mistakes were not tolerated, and slowing down the whole clinic was unacceptable. It was here where I became the versatile defender with the highest standards. 

Kobata quickly singled me out. He nicknamed me “Lefty” and always shot me a sarcastic sidelong glance and heavy sigh when I rotated to his station, because he would have to turn everything around for me. But whereas most coaches would have told me to go to the outfield or to stay at first base, he held me to a higher standard. 

He had me do the same drills the right-handed players did, but I had to do them just as fast while turning my body all the way around. These moments forced me to adapt, to learn that sometimes the things we love most aren’t easy, and that no matter if you do it with your right hand, left hand, feet, nose, whatever, it still has to get done. 

Utility = Versatility

Being a utility player means more than being able to play multiple positions. It means being willing to try new things, willing to run from the infield to the outfield and back five times during practice. You have to accept that sometimes you’ll miss reps at the position you’d rather be at, but most importantly it means being ready when the team needs a well-rounded athlete to step up. 

Versatility on defense is key, especially if your real strength is hitting. Coaches always say, “If you hit, you’ll play,” and it’s true. However, there is only one designated hitter spot in a lineup and eight fielding spots on the field. Find a way to be so well-rounded that it's impossible for a coach to take you out of the game. 

Versatility Beyond Defense

In case you missed it, I’m left handed. Becoming a versatile left-handed defender required some extra effort. But becoming a versatile left-handed hitter — now this is where it gets fun. 

I knew pretty early on that I could hit well, and that putting the ball in play wasn’t an issue. Around the age of 10, I was introduced to the slap and drag bunt, and since then have always considered myself a five-tool hitter.  

(Side note: There is something to be said about "slappers." There is no such thing. A high level, successful slapper does not exist. Caitlin Lowe, Natasha Watley, Allexis (Chip) Bennett, Haylie McCleney, and so many more, are not slappers. Every single one of these women is successful because they combine all of their tools. Each of these athletes can power slap, soft slap, chop slap, bunt, drag bunt, push bunt, and swing away at any time, against anyone, in any situation. Add some speed and a fake bunt here or there and you will find yourself a force of nature at the plate. So please, don’t demote anyone by calling her simply a "slapper.")

I was always a leadoff hitter before playing professionally. Compared to the other leadoffs I played against, I was atypical. My speed is average and I tend to rely more heavily on my swing than any of my other tools. This was especially true during high school. I played for a travel ball coach who instilled in me that it doesn’t matter what I use most often in a game; I still needed to keep all my tools sharp for when the team needs them most.  

I developed a routine during batting practice — start with the tool I use the least. For me it was and still is the soft slap because, like I mentioned, I’m not “Watley” fast. I would then work my way through all of my skills, ensuring that I felt comfortable enough to use it in a game before moving on. 

Fast forward to my freshman year at the University of Arizona. Batting practice was now on a full field, with a live arm, everyone watching, and a limited amount of swings. My routine of moseying through my skills was quickly tossed out. How do you fit multiple tools into 15 pitches and still manage to get a good feeling? Truth is, I didn’t. I began letting the pressure of hitting the long ball and getting through the rounds quickly alter what I needed to do to be at my best. 

When Ego Got The Best Of Me

By the spring, I was leading off and my swing felt great. I was driving the ball off of mediocre preseason pitching and felt like I had college softball figured out. When Pac-12 games began, I was immediately humbled by Dallas Escobedo’s riseball. 

I remember talking with my dad after, searching for the answer. My dad, my own personal softball guru, has a frustrating way of making everything seem so simple.

He asked me, “What don’t you just slap and punch it through the infield?” I remember feeling so defensive after he said that, as if I didn’t need to slap because I could figure it out on my own. That stubborn mindset would be the demise of my series against ASU that year. 

Sharpen Your Tools

I had a reality check and realized that in order to succeed against the best pitchers and fielders in the game, I had to be better. I had to go to my toolbox, sharpen my knives, and keep them guessing about what I’d do next. I had to be versatile. 

Throughout the next few years, playing the same teams and coaches over and over, I began to understand and recognize pitch sequence. Whether they knew what I was doing or not, I began to play cat and mouse with the fielders and pitch callers and do what I like to call "carve up the defense." There is no better feeling than guessing right on a pitch that was intended to fool you. 

Versatility at the plate gives you options when your swing, timing, eyes, or the umpire are off. It gives you a plan B, C, and D. You don’t have to be a left-handed hitter to be versatile — you just have to be willing to accept that there are games when even the worst pitchers are better than you, but it still has to get done. Whether it's shortening up your swing, situational hitting, or dropping a drag bunt, all of these skills give you the versatility to be successful against the best. 

Sharpen your tools, keep the defense guessing, and carve'em up. 


Written by Hallie Wilson