Faster throws

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Aug 10, 2016
686
63
Georgia
DD plays SS and they are really working on trying to turn double plays this season (this is her first season playing 12U). If it's hit towards 2nd, she is supposed to get the ball at 2nd and then throw 1 but her issue is that she's taking way too long to get the ball out of her glove to throw. Any drills to make her throw faster? She's always concerned a fast throw won't be as accurate.
They are working on it at practice but I'd love to find a way to improve it outside of her regular practices.

Thanks!
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Maybe have her not think of her glove as something used to catch the ball, it is more a paddle to transfer ball to her throwing hand.

(I think quicker is a better word then faster to use with DD)
 
Last edited:
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
A lot of the speed of the transfer is in the glove hand. Make sure she is catching the ball with the glove up and the throwing hand up near the glove as well. Transfer the ball from the catch to the showing shoulder all in one motion. I would start out slow and get a feel of the mechanics then progressively do it quicker. It will take a while to become muscle memory but if she keep working at it she can do it.

Maybe someone has a gif or video but look for some MLB/NPF players turning 2.


Best wishes!
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
As with anything mechanical, smooth is fast. Get her to slow down and focus on the mechanics of the transfer. Unfortunately having her "work on it at practice" is not going to get the job done. More than likely this is a dozen or so reps twice a week. She needs many more than that to get better. Place a bownet or similar gear at 1B, have her assume a position just away from 2B. Then have her break toward the bag as you toss the ball to her. Have her focus on the transfer and her footwork. Remember that she should be getting the ball just before or just as she gets to the bag so her body is moving toward 1B and she can use her momentum to throw the ball. Do a couple of buckets a day, every day for a couple of weeks and the desired results will come quickly.
 
Aug 30, 2015
286
28
"Back of glove". Keep the glove closed and catch with the back of it. Girl is forced to use her throwing hand to trap the ball and transfer is automatic. Same as pancake but no extra equipment needed

Caution: if a girl is not used to it, it's easy to stick the throwing hand in the way and get it smashed. Make sure she lets the ball hit the leather first and then traps it. Even if she's never done it before, she'll pick it up within 3 or 4 reps and its off to the races!
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
I see a lot of talk working on the hands which is important, but footwork is often the cause. Watch some kids who are good at it and see how they do it.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
IMO double plays are unusual in SB. Worth working on but do not get your hopes up.

They are? Less frequent than the slow game called "baseball", but I see DPs fairly regularly. My recent favorite was my DD's team turning a 1-5-3 to end a tournament game.
 
Nov 18, 2015
1,585
113
My suggestion, which is probably the same as what quincy was saying, is to use the cue "trap" vs. catch. When you think catch, instinct is to squeeze the glove shut. On MOST DP's, the incoming throw will be more of a toss. There's no need to squeeze the glove.

Have her think "trap" or "cradle" - encourage the use of the throwing hand to complete the trap. Then her hand is already on the ball - she doesn't have to open the glove again, reach in, find the ball, and pull her hand back out.

It's a timing issue to not put your hand in too early, but at 12U, I would think it shouldn't even be an issue.

And as you probably already noticed - it also depends on the throw. When the incoming throw is too low, it's going to take much longer to bring the glove back up to transfer to the throwing hand.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top