Throwing drill-what is the point?

[Coachmom]

I'm assisting our Allstar program for 12U rec ball team. One of the drills that seems to be popular in our league is throwing with 2 balls. I do not see the point of this drill as I am always trying to get our girls to use both hands together as a unit when catching throws as demonstrated in this Howard Kobata video.


When I watch the girls doing the "throw with 2 balls drill" what I see is re-enforcing the bad habit of leaving the throwing hand hanging down by your side while receiving the throw.
Can someone explain the benefit of this drill?

 

[shockcoach]

Can you explain the drill better? I'm not following.

 

[starsnuffer]

Problem with a lot of coaches is the monkey-see, monkey-do philosophy. One coach did it, another saw it, and copied it, ect. I bet that most of those coaches don't even know why they're doing it. That said, post a video of them doing the drill and maybe we can help.

-W

 

[Coachmom]

Each partner holds a ball in one hand while receiving the throw. Upon receiving the throw, one handed, because they have a ball in the other hand-they throw the ball that they are holding to their partner.

Playing catch with a ball in your throwing hand.

 

[starsnuffer]

There are a lot of plays in softball that need to be made one handed (bang-bang tag plays, catcher throws to bases, ect) , however, I do not see the benefit of repeating this drill with an entire team including outfielders.

A lot of coaches are good people, but often don't think. I'm betting these same coaches do rapid-fire side toss for hitting practice, because more clearly has to be better, right?

-W

 

[shockcoach]

Yeah...don't know on that one. I teach two handed catches like in the video above. It would be difficult to do with a ball in that hand. One drill that I do have the kids do is what we call the double catch. Both girls have a ball and throw simultaneously to each other. They catch at the same time and throw again. It's a hand-eye drill and I don't spend a whole lot of time on it.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

If that is the way they are doing the drill, they are doing it different than I do. It is an advanced drill, that I only do for older teens, but 12U could do it for fun.

Each girl holds a ball and then, they throw at the same time. This would allow for a 2 handed catch. You throw immediately after the catch. You have to know how many you are going to do, to keep someone from getting bonked. It is an accuracy drill and a quick transfer from glove to hand drill.

 

[Coachmom]

Thank for the responses, it's difficult enough to teach these young players to move both hands toward the ball.
This "drill" seems to reinforce all their bad habits instead of introducing good habits.

I think I am going to ask the head coach what he feels the purpose of that drill is.