My Dad just got us to hold the stick how we feel comfortable a few times and went from there. My brother did end up switching to a lefty after holding it as a righty at first but that was pretty quick. Pretty tough to guess what a kid is going to be without him even trying it out.
It seems obvious now but when you are a kid and just starting...its awkward with both hands. I mean its not like i could raise the puck when i was four. You basically hack the thing. I watch my friends kids play and i think the same thing...they could probably learn both sides and not be worse off. They already are building the muscle memory foundation of the shot and pass motion.
I had that development on the right. It did feel strange to use a left for a bit but i also had success right away.
Shooting pool is same way for me...and shooting a rifle. Its not the shot that is difficult but the lean...the leaning throws me off because i am used to the other way. For golf its the latter part of the swing where i really lose control swinging left.
Its strange
When i play pool i never do that "behind the back" crap. I switch andshoot left. Normally have to lean in two orthree times and reset my stance before each lean but i lean like im shooting a gun so it has to be perfect. Takes two or three or sometimes four leans and resets before i feel comfy and take the shot.
Pretty solid with left but definitely muddies the mind a bit at first. Never been natural with shooting left in pool
Also if it matters i always loved a low lie stick...like 3/3.5 lie very little curve. And used a longer stick than most in length to player height ratio
If i pulled the stick in close i could get some crazy torque. As a kid i used to do a very short version of a toe drag type move just to get the long, low lie, whip...flex that blade down hard then let the torque do the shot. Everyone is different. Lies of 3/3.5 were hard to find generically.
When comps became perfected...i was in heaven. Sooooo much torque and you could track down the flex you wanted. World of possibilities
I also didnt like a raised nose much...and preferred a very slight twist to my blade where my top was pulled a bit forward. Pretty flat for curve too. Lots of stick bending in my youth to get things fine tuned
I always wondered what sakic had as a lie.