GRAVETTE — Prior to this year, Kyndra Meeker was a left-handed shortstop.
Seriously, it’s true.
“Ever since I was little, I always wanted to play in the infield,” explained Meeker, a junior at Gravette. “So I kinda grew into knowing what I was doing, and adjusting myself to throw.”
Somehow, Meeker excelled at shortstop, just as she performed well as Gravette’s third baseman two years ago as a freshman. But she’s fared even better this year, having been switched to a more logical position for a lefty: center field.
The switch was made because Meeker and Gravette coach Taos Jones both think she has the ability to play college softball - and also realized that colleges wouldn’t take a left-handed shortstop seriously.
Meeker was at a camp this summer at Missouri Southern University, when a coach told her she was going to have to change positions to play at the next level. She was shocked but says she’s really enjoying her new position today.
“There’s a lot of action out there,” she said. “I’ve had to adjust my depth perception, because I’m used to balls hit on ground, and now they’re hit in the air.
“It’s way different than the infield, but it took just a couple practices and a game to adjust.”
Jones said it’s not surprising that Meeker adjusted to life in the outfield so quickly. With her work ethic, he knew it wouldn’t take long until she got the hang of it.
“She is a take-charge kind of kid,” Jones said. “In terms of heart and leadership, she’s one of the best I’ve got. She was a little uncomfortable with it at first, because she hadn’t played a lot of outfield, but she’s got good softball sense and good quickness.
“She’s getting the job done out there very well.”
While Meeker’s position on defense has changed, her spot in the lineup is the same as it was a year ago: Leadoff. She’s hitting better than .400, with a stellar .550 on-base percentage, and is leading Gravette with 37 runs scored.
“She’s a great contact hitter,” said Jones, whose team was 14-6 through Monday, and 3-2 in 4A-1 Conference play. “She’s great at getting on base, and she can fly down the basepaths.”
Jones said that it’s obvious Meeker is more confident at the plate this season, because she’s become a much better hitter with two strikes.
Meeker agrees with her coach’s assessment, adding that she rarely swings at the first pitch, because she’d rather get a good sense of what the opposing pitcher is throwing.
“I’ve always been a great bunter, but I haven’t been a powerful hitter,” Meeker says. “Now I can hit them to the outfield, and they’re strong hits; they’re not just half-swings.”
PROFILE
Kyndra Meeker
SCHOOL: Gravette
CLASS: Junior
POSITION: Center field
HEIGHT: 5-5
NOTABLE: Moved from shortstop to center field this year.
... Bats leadoff, hitting over .400 with a .550 on-base percentage and a team-leading 37 runs scored.
... In her third year as a starter; was Gravette’s third baseman in 2009.
... Also plays volleyball, basketball, cross country and track for the Lady Lions.
News, Pages 11 on 05/04/2011