Drills/exercise for getting the ball out quickly?

[CalvinBall]

DD has her throws on point (on target, good velocity) but it feels like getting the ball out is taking too long at the moment. Short of standing next to her and yelling “Faster!” while practicing throw downs, what are some good drills/exercises to increase transfer speed?

 

[Quigs10]

A couple I use with my DD that focus on hand speed and the transfer:

1. Sit on bucket in front about 4 ft away, toss ball to her (she cam be on knees for this drill) amd her entire focus is catch, transfer and turn as fast as possible the upper body to throwing position. Rinse and repeat over and over. Helps w hand speed of transfer amd turn without worrying about lower half (yet.)

2. Same type drill but wit tennis balls and no mitt...just bare hands. Or with a paddle glove or even just use one of those round beach toys that have velcro and slips on glove hand hand. This one helps my DD with getting the anticipation and feel of picking the ball right off the paddle as soon as it hits tje paddle. If she doesn't time her throwing hand just rigjt and quick enough the ball will fall or hit off the paddle.

 

[Eric F]

Good stuff from Quigs10. However...

...It's not always the hands that are the real issue. What I have found many times is that speeding up the feet speeds up everything else. Slow feet and quick hands are out of sync, so the hands slow down because the rest of the body isn't actually ready to throw the ball. Speeding up the feet demands everything else be faster in order to be on time with the throw sequence. Throwing footwork is like a dance. Speed up the tempo of the music.

 

[Quigs10]

Good stuff from Quigs10. However...

...It's not always the hands that are the real issue. What I have found many times is that speeding up the feet speeds up everything else. Slow feet and quick hands are out of sync, so the hands slow down because the rest of the body isn't actually ready to throw the ball. Speeding up the feet demands everything else be faster in order to be on time with the throw sequence. Throwing footwork is like a dance. Speed up the tempo of the music.

Yep, agree! Sometimes it's good for younger catchers to focus on one "level" / half of the body in some drills and then the other half in another. And then other movements that tie them all together as stated.

I have DD do some footwork drills to get to the "pop" and throwing position without a ball so she can also focus just on her feet. Hard to explain but we use a string line and also a footwork ladder to do different ones. Position of the feet BEFORE and AFTER the "pop up" is critical and can help or hurt timing and quickness.

I'm sure RAD will have some for sure when she see this thread.

 

[#10]

How old is DD, Calvin? Does she throw from her feet or from the crouch?

 

[Fury_Mike]

Throwing mechanics and how your arm levers is important

work through the pitched ball don’t catch and pull everything backwards

transfer and drive foot step timing, staying in your legs

 

[radness]

DD has her throws on point (on target, good velocity) but it feels like getting the ball out is taking too long at the moment. Short of standing next to her and yelling “Faster!” while practicing throw downs, what are some good drills/exercises to increase transfer speed?

Video would help to offer feedback.
As has been mentioned already.
Mechanics play a role in transitioning ball out of glove.
I teach transition in front immediatly.
Pivot into throw.
Energy forward.

However there are other mechanics where players are told to bring glove backwards to ear/shoulder.
With a stay back twist/rotate body throwing mechanic.

If you like take a look at video posted in
Get RAD Catchers workout
There is video of a
transition drill.
Ball in Ball out.
( its like fielding our own short hop~call it~ Trust our Glove !)

Also a good look at
Transitioning in front
With mechanics into throw.

Have another drill called
~Turn Take
(not in the video will try and get video made)

~Turn Take
Stand in athletic position
Glove in front with a ball in it facing pitcher.
With throwing arm ready.
Both elbows off the body/ or slighlty up.
(not higher than shoulder)
Turn glove arm wrist
(so ball now facing us)
Take ball out,
(pull back slightly with it)
Put it back,
(not toss it but purposely firm push it back in glove)
Snap/turn glove back facing pitcher.
*This is transitioning in front of body NOT bringing glove back to shoulder!
*Start at moderate speed.
Get it right! Go faster!

Thats doing it once.

Do it as a repetition drill.
10x = 1 set
We do 3 sets as a warm up drill.

Glove facing pitcher
Turn Glove
Take Ball
Put Back
Turn Toward pitcher
Repeat x 10

Develops~
Muscle memory
Muscle strength
Glove work
Transition speed
And really really really
Get used to the ball in our hand!

GO CATCHERS

 

[CalvinBall]

How old is DD, Calvin? Does she throw from her feet or from the crouch?

15. She throws from both.

 

[CalvinBall]

Video would help to offer feedback.

Video example from this past weekend. This is probably the best example. Good throw but the ball doesn't leave her hand until the runner is halfway to 2nd.

 

[erniekru]

@CalvinBall
Ha, I'm taking a look at this video a little differently as an engineer and a father of a catcher!.. First the runner is leaving early, see the attached screen grab off your video, so automatically, she's behind the 8 ball on this particular play.

Second, the pop time ~2.11sec. Her pop to release time is .80 which is where she needs to be. The only thing left is the power of the throw from the knees. If we take the time of the ball in the air, 1.31 sec and the distance (about 86.75ft couple feet behind the plate to 2B) that is a throwing velocity of 45.5mph. To me what she should be working on is increasing the velocity of her knee throws or practicing throwing from her feet for all pitches except in the dirt. I think minimum velocity of any throw needs to be 53mph (will take .2sec off the release to 2B time and get to the magic 1.9sec pop).

Just my .02!