I rarely miss taking my 9 yo DD to practice, but I couldn't make it last week. This week, HC pulls me aside and asks me to work with her on catching fly balls/pop-ups because he wants her in the starting lineup. So we did and the first thing I noticed was that she was placing her throwing hand behind her glove while making the catch. I've noticed some girls do this over the years and never understood why. I asked her to move her hand to a position where it would be easier to use to cover the ball after it enters the glove. She told me that the coaches showed her to do that at last week's practice. DW confirmed this. Before I go back to practice tonight, what is the logic with positioning the hand behind the glove when making a catch?
Hand Behind Glove?
- Thread starter DanDare
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- Jun 24, 2013
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Who knows?
I like what the coach is teaching her. She is only 9. I teach 2 hands on the glove and I absolutely hate when a major leaguer drops a fly ball, because he is only using one hand.
Now, I had an infielder practicing last week, and she was fielding with her throwing hand high above her glove. Her bare hand got hit hard by the ball. So, I tried to "fix" her. Then, I realized that her coach was teaching her "alligator" so, I left her alone.
But I teach bare hand behind the glove. It helps support the glove and your hand is right there to throw the ball. Before I have little ones even put a glove on, we catch tennis balls, using 2 hands together.
Now, I had an infielder practicing last week, and she was fielding with her throwing hand high above her glove. Her bare hand got hit hard by the ball. So, I tried to "fix" her. Then, I realized that her coach was teaching her "alligator" so, I left her alone.
But I teach bare hand behind the glove. It helps support the glove and your hand is right there to throw the ball. Before I have little ones even put a glove on, we catch tennis balls, using 2 hands together.
- Jun 24, 2013
- 1,057
- 36
I hate disagreeing with Amy, it doesn’t ever happen.
The throwing hand should not be supporting the glove, it should be to the side of the glove. It is nothing I would go to war with the coach over but it is not quite right. I would much rather have their throwing hand supporting the glove then at their waist.
The throwing hand should not be supporting the glove, it should be to the side of the glove. It is nothing I would go to war with the coach over but it is not quite right. I would much rather have their throwing hand supporting the glove then at their waist.
Just so I can understand better, isn't the bare hand behind the glove the same thing as using 1 hand? I thought the idea of using 2 hands was to have the bare hand covering the ball so that it doesn't pop out. DD had the ball pop out a couple of times and that Is when I started to question it. However, I think in her case it was more about the position of the glove. On a pop-up, she had her glove fingers pointing up. This would be correct on a line drive, but I think the glove hand should be tilted back for a pop-up allowing the ball to fall into the pocket. Interested in your thoughts. Thanks.
- Jun 24, 2013
- 1,057
- 36
Yes, the glove should be tilted back.
I think you are putting too much thought into this, just hit her a bunch of fly balls and she will figure it out without much coaching.
I think you are putting too much thought into this, just hit her a bunch of fly balls and she will figure it out without much coaching.
I think the idea is to catch and cover. Many girls end up using their hand to push or guide the ball into their glove. This gets their hand out of harms way until needed.
Agreed. She'll be fine.
I wouldn't go to war over it, either. She's 9. Now, if they go to Candrea's camp at age 13 and he has a presentation on it, I would consider changing it. I don't think it would be a big change.
This may be similar to the top programs wanting the infielders to catch the ball out in the fingers of their gloves. I don't do that, because I never knew about it. I haven't been to an outfielder's clinic and have only ran across one outfielder coach, in my life.
This may be similar to the top programs wanting the infielders to catch the ball out in the fingers of their gloves. I don't do that, because I never knew about it. I haven't been to an outfielder's clinic and have only ran across one outfielder coach, in my life.
The web of the glove is meant to give when a ball enters. Putting the hand behind the glove is in essence putting a backboard behind the glove. I watch girls do this with all catching and I watch ball after ball bounce out. Teaching two hands is fine but the second shouldn't be behind the glove
