Breaking the side arm throw?

[Judd]

Some of the girls on my 12U rec team are side arming the ball. How can I correct this? Any drills? Do I just keep telling them over hand?

Also how can I teach control? I have a couple that could probably hit the fence from home plate but they cant hit a girl 40 feet away, too high, too low etc

Thanks

[3Bsnag]

I'm going to assume you know proper throwing mechanics (if not, http://www.sportskool.com/sports/softball will help them and you get started).

It's just making them stand in 2 lines, throwing to each other and not letting them side arm. For a righty: As soon as one side catches the ball, they correctly transfer the ball to their throwing hand, point their elbow/glove and their left hip to their target, right arm bent at 90 degrees, palm/ball facing behind them and freeze. Over the top throw, freeze at follow through. If you break it down and make them freeze, they don't have the pressure of trying to throw hard and can concentrate on good mechanics.

If they do their drills religiously, it should take @ 6-8 weeks to see great improvement. In my experience, 6-8 months before they have control, are throwing properly, and back to throwing hard.

Your task is hard since you're coaching rec ball. You don't have the time with the girls that TB coaches do, but I applaud you for trying to fix the problems. You may also want to enlist the help of some older TB girls that you know can throw. The girls seem to like it.

[bkatona]

A favorite topic of mine as DD had a terrible throwing motion.....we used the kneeling drill (throwing side knee on the ground and throw to me), the 90 degree drill where you turned the entire body 90 degrees to your throwing partner and made them throw across the body, also freezing at points so they had the ball above their ears before release.

I was at a coaching seminar a few weeks ago given by a well respected travel coach in our area....his opinion of poor throwing mechanics is partially based on catching ability....younger girls (12U and younger) have a tendency to throw better (and harder) quicker than they can learn to catch that hard throw. When they warm up, they are afraid to throw hard because their team mate may miss the ball and get hurt, so they change their mechanics to slow down the velocity of the throw. We have the girls that throw the hardest warm up with our other more skilled players or the coaches , to promote good throwing mechanics.

The throw-Max training aid also is a great tool.

[Sam]

Drill #1: Play catch sitting down, legs straight out in front from about 20 feet.
Drill #2: Play catch on one knee (throwing arm knee down) from about 40 feet.
Drill #3: Play catch facing each other, no stepping to throw. Player receiving the ball gives a target with their glove, catches the throw and immediately brings the ball up to their ear on the throwing side, while rocking their hips and preparing to throw without stepping. The player then throws to her partner's target....the drill is called rock n fire.

You can also work on crow hopping for the OF.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Have you tried shock collars?

[wadeintothem]

So I'm guessing the days of standing them next to a fence and playing catch are over?

It worked on me when I was a kid...

[3Bsnag]

I'm here to confirm the fence drill is still alive and well. I make my DD do it once a week and as punishment starting @ 15 ft away from me when she can't hit the broad side.... when she's warming up.

[BIG PAPA 18]

So I'm guessing the days of standing them next to a fence and playing catch are over?

It worked on me when I was a kid...

That's exactly what dear old dad did to me also....lol..
Sam's drills he mentioned work's for the girls..