let's pretend...

[aneasy643]

After reading through a bunch of threads on the overhand throw I have come to a conclusion... I got lucky! I am currently coaching 12U Travel ball and have a few girls that well... do not throw very well. My DD however, has a great throw hence my comment about being lucky. The more I read the more confused I seem to be on which route to take. So I'd like to know how the big brains on DFP would do it. Let's pretend I'm 5 or 6 years old- how would you teach me how to throw over hand?

 

[chinamigarden]

There is a lengthy throwing discussion on the fielding forum. In fact its a sticky, which means it stays at the top of the forum page no matter what. Take a look there.

 

[aneasy643]

Thanks cmgd... crazy that I can type in the term throwing and not see this. I've only just begun to read the thread and already have so much info to go with. Just for S&G's however, what cues do you find work best for the youngsters? Thoracic extenstion... pronation and external rotation took a while for me to understand and I'm betting my girls will have no interest in such terms as of yet. I guess that's what I'm looking for when I say teach me like I'm a 5 year old...

 

[Spartans21]

I'm interested in hearing responses as well 643! In the past not much information has been given compared to other areas of the game. Usually just a link to Wasserman's site...

 

[crystlemc]

I may take you to ball games and other activities that involve throwing motion, like fly fishing, and let you throw rocks in the river.

But that is in my dream world where kids watched, emulated, figure it out, and then owned what they were doing. Not like today when everything has to be mapped out, taken apart in bits, and monitored by an adult "coach" until they are perfect (OMG< they are never perfect in the coach's eyes) robots.

The water bottle drill is the best, and scare crow drills (although the ones we use are not like the ones I find on the Internet). Anything involving wrist snaps, kneeling on the ground, or spinners just plain stinks.

Yeah, cuz this post certainly will help him teach them to throw...

Aneasy643, I have no idea how to help you, because my dd was a natural, as well. However, big ups for taking on the project. I'm sure you will get great info here.

 

[guero_gordo]

Understand your frustration, DD learned wrong from typical group rec-ball stuff, others got it, she did not and had to re-tool her throw at age 10. Definitely better to get them started right to avoid frustration and wear, but hard do distill things for a young audience.

I'm not the guy to teach anything, but people I trust believe in the Wasserman program. Austin has worked with kids as young as 8(perhaps younger), so he might be able to help you with teaching young ones. AB has blown up the last few years, so I have no idea how reachable Austin is these days, but was always approachable in the old days.

People generally have respected the material that Austin gets paid for by not spewing it out for public consumption, which creates the syndrome Spartans describes.

 

[rdbass]

After reading through a bunch of threads on the overhand throw I have come to a conclusion... I got lucky! I am currently coaching 12U Travel ball and have a few girls that well... do not throw very well. My DD however, has a great throw hence my comment about being lucky. The more I read the more confused I seem to be on which route to take. So I'd like to know how the big brains on DFP would do it. Let's pretend I'm 5 or 6 years old- how would you teach me how to throw over hand?

I know if I was to start over again with 5 & 6 yr olds one BIG change I differently would make would be........
Not to use a 11'' or 12'' softball. I would use a tennis ball or a softy baseball. Most younger girls with the small hands are forced to shot put the ball. Give the younger players a ball they can grip.

 

[nicelag]

I still coach the younger ages. From what I see faulty throwing mechanics are almost always attached to bad footwork (at all ages). So I teach it from the ground up. It's a little longer process at first but in the long run it is quicker, and I have found it leads to better throwing mechanics overall. I break it down into segments starting with fielding. If player (especially younger ones) fields the ball with bad footwork I guarantee you their footwork will be off in the throw thereby creating bad mechanics...

I start by having them do the following:
1. Field a stationary ball with feet and body in the proper position.
2. Field a stationary ball by taking two steps into the ball with feet and body in the proper position.
3. Same as above but add additional steps into the stationary ball.
4. Have them field the ball and transition to a throwing motion and freeze (be sure they use proper footwork and posture during the transition)
5. Same as above while actually throwing the ball to a target.
6. After each phase I create a couple of lines and play a game seeing which line can go the fastest and finish first while being reasonably correct mechanically.

As they progress so can you. Progress to batted balls. It is just very difficult to start with batted balls to most young ones. They are to worried about getting hit, and hurt, to focus on mechanics. That is why most acquire bad footwork to begin with in my opinion. They are trying to get away from the ball to protect themselves.

Just my opinion, it works for me..

 

[YOCOACH]

When teaching my youngest catchers, I use simple wording. I start with a water bottle drill. Water bottle is half full and kids are in a stance with their feet parallel and facing their target full on. I show them that the water starts at the bottom just like they would be taking the ball out of the glove. Elbow comes straight back at shoulder height. Hand and forearm rotate up and at a little angle to get their hand/bottle ready to drop behind their head and the water moves to the top of the bottle. When the hand/bottle is behind their head, the wrist relaxes and the water bottle will tilt down transferring the water to bottom of the bottle. Shoulders rotate back until they feel tension or tightness in the lower back. Then it's simply push the shoulders around with the lower back muscles and throwing their elbow towards their target. Once the elbow gets just in front/past the nose, the forearm starts in its downward/outward direction towards their target finishing with the wrist snap. Yes, this is an over simplification and it probably won't win the coach of the year award the way I explained it but it seems to get through to them.

Next we transition to tennis balls and throw against the wall to themselves in a stretch and fire exercise. After that I start them working on the lower half in conjunction with what they have learned for the upper half.

I have an old hitting aid that has a spring and you rotate the arm to wind it up. When released, the ball at the end of the arm will start and pick up speed as the spring unwinds. While doing this demonstration, I explain to them that our body is a big spring that needs to be wound up so that we can put some zip behind the thrown ball. That's what they're feeling when they rotate their shoulders in their lower backs on the stretch and fire drill, they're winding the spring. When the spring unwinds, we transfer all of that energy out the end of our arm to the ball just like the hitting aid. The tighter we wind the spring the faster the ball goes.

Now we need to make that happen from a good throwing position. I use terms such as start with the arch of their back foot pointing at the person they're throwing to. Drive the hips just like when they're batting. Feel the way their lower back get tense. See how their chests puff out as they continue to drive the hips (thoracic extension) and once puffed out, go into the throwing motion. Finish with their weight on the front foot. These are a few cues I use but not all of them since not every kid learns the same way. Again, an oversimplification but these are what usually work for me. I'm demonstrating every thing I'm saying at the time also which at that age is a must since IMO, most young kids are quite visual when learning.

As the kids get used to this, they usually find out what actually works best for them and tweak the motion themselves until they find what feels most comfortable to them. That being said, the biggest problem I see in the younger ages is the lack of weight transfer and they're throwing off of their back foot.

Edit to Add: this is the how I teach my catchers and infielders to initially throw. For the outfielders, it is a little different motion since they need the extra power to make it into the IF.

 

[vdubya]

So I'd like to know how the big brains on DFP would do it. Let's pretend I'm 5 or 6 years old- how would you teach me how to throw over hand?

This may be a bit too idealistic, but forget the brains and forget the 'teach.' Kids need more 'DO.' Get them out to play, jump, run, throw, climb, race, have contests...

Do we really need to TEACH a young kid how to walk or throw or jump? Kids learn to walk pretty well by <drum roll> WALKING. Day in, day out, lather, rinse, repeat. Who among us hired a walking coach to tweak our kid's gait mechanics?

The difference between throwing and walking is that kids walk every day. That is how they became proficient at walking. Today's kids just don't get out and DO. They need more PLAY. Outdoor play that involves other kids. Real PLAY without any structured adult interference in high doses yields athleticism IME. Doing these activities with an older brother or two is the fast track. If you don't have that luxury then find another way to get them active at HOME.

If the parent at home is the only option, then I recommend they get out with the kid, but have fun like a kid would. Less pointers. More reps. Less corrections. More fun. Less structure. More laughter and more DOING! If a parent can do this on a regular basis the kid will learn to walk, er I mean throw. If there is fun and laughter you might eventually draw in some neighborhood kids to join in. Encourage that!! Remember it isn't a private lesson with your kid. Your kid is learning to love games and sport by PLAYING, and by doing so regularly at a young age they are becoming athletic. Let the kids take over eventually. They will. Send those kids outdoors for hours-per-day.

Now, go and watch Sandlot (1) if you haven't seen it lately. At least listen to this 'Mom' speech:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p680aaJDxVA