Approximately 10% of humans are left-handed. The proportion of left-handedness in competitive sport is far greater than 10%. There have been various theories as to why, such as the idea that because they are in the minority, left-handed people have an advantage when coming up against right-handed players who are not as used to competing against left-handers.

A scientific paper has just been released with another theory. In short, the researchers believe left-handed people are more competitive than right-handed people. Here's a link to the story and another to a preliminary draft of the research paper itself.

Are there any Demonland lefties out there who would like to comment about their competitiveness?

And who are the lefties in our team? Would they be considered to be more competitive than the right-handers? I can see the argument holds up with (retired) Steven May. But does Bailey Fritsch strike anyone as being particularly competitive?

2 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

But does Bailey Fritsch strike anyone as being particularly competitive?

Ask his dog

Jack Viney is left footed, but I don’t know if he’s left handed. In any case, he’s just a bit competitive.

I am a very proud left hander, who loves competing against right handers. When I started school in the 1960's teachers tried to make left handers write right handed. They tried to do this to me, but my parents were able to stop this.

19 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Approximately 10% of humans are left-handed. The proportion of left-handedness in competitive sport is far greater than 10%. There have been various theories as to why, such as the idea that because they are in the minority, left-handed people have an advantage when coming up against right-handed players who are not as used to competing against left-handers.

A scientific paper has just been released with another theory. In short, the researchers believe left-handed people are more competitive than right-handed people. Here's a link to the story and another to a preliminary draft of the research paper itself.

Are there any Demonland lefties out there who would like to comment about their competitiveness?

And who are the lefties in our team? Would they be considered to be more competitive than the right-handers? I can see the argument holds up with (retired) Steven May. But does Bailey Fritsch strike anyone as being particularly competitive?

Great article @La Dee-vina Comedia

I've known quite a few sports players to be right handed in writing but left handed/footed in sport.

The more competitive aspect is an interesting one. I can see it with the 'match up' side of things and being able to take a certain angle on competition. I see it like a left footer saying to a right footer "I can paint this painting and express my creativity better than you"

Whether they are more hard at it or gutsy I'd have no idea though.

In our sport though there is something to be said for left footers. I don't know what it is but they just have that bit of extra zazz.

I’m left handed but grew up kicking right foot and hand pass right handed, I bounce the footy left handed so ran to the left forcing myself to learn how to kick and handball on my left from an early age. All kinds of strange. 😂

4 minutes ago, WildDogDee said:

I’m left handed but grew up kicking right foot and hand pass right handed, I bounce the footy left handed so ran to the left forcing myself to learn how to kick and handball on my left from an early age. All kinds of strange. 😂

Growing up I kicked a footy with my left foot but a soccer ball with my right. Found that odd.

I'm a weird one... I am a left-handed writer, tooth brusher, and billiards player, but do most other things right-handed (or partially ambidextrous).

Not an elite athlete, but played competitive sport for 20+ years, and I'm a Phys. Ed. teacher. Was massively competitive in my younger years, but have mellowed with age. Still probably more competitive than most though.

2 minutes ago, mfcrox said:

I'm a weird one... I am a left-handed writer, tooth brusher, and billiards player, but do most other things right-handed (or partially ambidextrous).

Not an elite athlete, but played competitive sport for 20+ years, and I'm a Phys. Ed. teacher. Was massively competitive in my younger years, but have mellowed with age. Still probably more competitive than most though.

Same, I’m partially ambiguous

22 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Approximately 10% of humans are left-handed. The proportion of left-handedness in competitive sport is far greater than 10%. There have been various theories as to why, such as the idea that because they are in the minority, left-handed people have an advantage when coming up against right-handed players who are not as used to competing against left-handers.

A scientific paper has just been released with another theory. In short, the researchers believe left-handed people are more competitive than right-handed people. Here's a link to the story and another to a preliminary draft of the research paper itself.

Are there any Demonland lefties out there who would like to comment about their competitiveness?

And who are the lefties in our team? Would they be considered to be more competitive than the right-handers? I can see the argument holds up with (retired) Steven May. But does Bailey Fritsch strike anyone as being particularly competitive?

Fritta is a leftie through and through. No ambidexterity whatsoever.

3KZ is Left Handed...

2 hours ago, roy11 said:

Growing up I kicked a footy with my left foot but a soccer ball with my right. Found that odd.

I'm surprised you didn't fall over doing that.

bat and play golf/tennis right handed

kick, handball, bowl left handed

#unstylishleftfooter

I’m right handed but batted left handed in Cricket. I also can’t play golf without left and right handed clubs because randomly each side becomes uncomfortable to play in so I have to change 😂

23 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Approximately 10% of humans are left-handed. The proportion of left-handedness in competitive sport is far greater than 10%. There have been various theories as to why, such as the idea that because they are in the minority, left-handed people have an advantage when coming up against right-handed players who are not as used to competing against left-handers.

A scientific paper has just been released with another theory. In short, the researchers believe left-handed people are more competitive than right-handed people. Here's a link to the story and another to a preliminary draft of the research paper itself.

Are there any Demonland lefties out there who would like to comment about their competitiveness?

And who are the lefties in our team? Would they be considered to be more competitive than the right-handers? I can see the argument holds up with (retired) Steven May. But does Bailey Fritsch strike anyone as being particularly competitive?

Interesting stuff. A particular aspect that I have noted in an anecdotal sense is that there seems to be in the AFL, compared to people I know, a significant over-representation of players who are left-handed but kick right foot, or vice versa. Off the top of my head I can think of J. Brown, N. Riewoldt, J. Lewis, and that’s just on football panels. Demons current and former include Caleb Windsor, Jesse Hogan and Robert Alan Flower. There are heaps more I’ve noted, and made me wonder whether it confers an extra “something” in performance.

A leading footballer I know does most things left-sided but kicks right foot; an extra weird kink is that in tennis he serves left-handed and plays right-handed. Former first-class cricketer and sports administrator James Sutherland bowled right-handed and threw from the outfield left-handed - another variation on weird.

3 hours ago, chook fowler said:

Same, I’m partially ambiguous

As is obvious from your name. Part chook, part hunter of chooks.

I believe that there was a time when the dorks deliberately chose left footers because they perceived that, particularly in the backline and in the centre, they had an advantage over right footers when turning clockwise instead of anti clockwise.

Over the years I have noticed a similar advantage and remain convinced it is true, think May, Hibbert, Fritsch in recent times.

Robbie was a right footer but bounced left handed; Windsor is right handed kicking and bouncing. Oh, if only he could bounce with his left hand.