Ball Rotation

[Beachbom1983]

My daughter is seven and still has a lot to learn. I am trying to help her with her throws but I am no expert and trying to learn too. From what I’ve read the ball is supposed to spin on a 6/12 rotation when she throws. What does this mean? If I am the one catching the ball should the top of the ball be coming towards me and down or should the bottom of the ball be coming up? It seems like she’s not getting her arm back far enough and the ball is not going very far. Any tips on what to do to help teach her to throw better? I have been reading on the forum but found that there is some conflicting information.

Thanks so much!

 

[robertc3]

When you are catching an overhand throw the bottom of the ball should be going up to the top. The clock face is the ball as you see it.

Start by playing a ton of catch and eventually you can add some of the Austin Wasserman drills you can find on youtube. Catch is the biggest one at her age because she also needs to improve her ability to track the ball and know where to put her glove. It applies to all fielding and can start in the back yard with you.

 

[uncdrew]

Yup. When we talk about clocks, it means the direction the spin is going as it's coming to you.

So a fastball or dropball will be 12 to 6 (mostly), meaning as the ball comes to you the spin is downward. The spot on the ball at 12 o'clock will be visible to you as it moves down the ball and then disappears from sight at 6 o'clock.

 

[uncdrew]

Playing catch every day (or almost daily) is just so good. It creates a bond, gets you some exercise, and will make her a better player in short order. I'm talking 10 minutes. You get home from work, yell out to daughter "Let's play catch" and you do it. Done before you know it.

I love having a catch with my kids. It's such a natural activity for having a conversation. And you can obviously have fun in the early stages, trying to catch 3 in a row, then 5 in a row, etc.

You, as a "coach", can give tips. After a few weeks you move back a few steps but don't really tell her.

You start throwing right to her glove best you can. Then you work in backhand catches and low catches.


As far as throwing goes, it seems are more bad drills than good these days. I don't like wrist flicks, I don't like T-drills, I don't like "touch the fence" drills. I really like Wasermann stuff.

If this helps any, please use it. It might help, it might not. I put it together for one of the girls on our team.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Relax arm, but keep it strong. Don’t let ball move your glove and arm much. Don’t let ball control you.

Ball within your shoulders, use two hands. Outside your shoulder, use one hand.

Catch ball like you’re high fiving the ball.


DRILL 1 – WINDSHIELD WIPER

Girl and thrower on knees (to isolate this to arm only), about 4 feet apart facing each other. No glove. Throw underhand, ball moving up. Keep your glove-hand (Sally’s left hand) bent at elbow, and catch ball with glove-hand. Eyes follow ball into glove hand. Squeeze and catch ball. It’s OK if you miss ball, the point is getting the arm to the ball with fingers up. Move arm left and right like a windshield wiper.

Use tennis ball. Throw ball straight, little to the left, little to the right. Mix it up so she can do “windshield wiper” and get them all.

Don’t stab at ball – receive the ball. Your arm will bend slightly into your body as you receive/catch the ball.



DRILL 2 – BACK OF HEAD THROWING


Elbow leads the hand through, wrist is cocked. Elbow is bent to 90 degrees or less as the front foot hits the ground, and this drill helps your body learn these two things.

Sally can do this with partner, or against wall. DO NOT combine this with other drills. They need to be done independently.

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, feet facing forward. Hold squeeze ball in throwing hand, against back of head. This establishes the elbow bend. Next, rotate shoulders to 90 degrees (shoulders now pointing to target). Waist will bend too – let it rotate naturally and focus on getting shoulders pointing to target. Throw ball, with elbow leading the hand. Release and follow through with hand across body down towards pants pocket on glove (left) side.

This is not a drill we do in practice. Betty and I do it at home every time we warm up, however. Doing this drill will naturally lead to a better full throw and the motions of this drill will become incorporated into the full throw. Work on this daily, but don’t think about it outside of your drills at home.


DRILL 3 – OFF THE WALL DRILL

Just Sally, with glove. Stand about 4-6 feet from wall. Throw squeeze ball against wall, underhand. Ball should return to you about chest high. Catch with glove using windshield wiper movements. Keep glove-hand elbow bent. Repeat over and over. You can probably do 50 catches in 3-4 minutes. Repeat daily.

For balls coming back between your shoulders, use two hands. Balls outside your shoulders, use one hand.

Make sure any ball above your belt is caught with fingers up. If ball comes in below your belt, fingers down. If ball comes belt high, best to bend knees and catch with fingers of glove hand pointing upward. Only catch ball with fingers pointing down if ball below the belt.

 

[Beachbom1983]

When you are catching an overhand throw the bottom of the ball should be going up to the top. The clock face is the ball as you see it.

Start by playing a ton of catch and eventually you can add some of the Austin Wasserman drills you can find on youtube. Catch is the biggest one at her age because she also needs to improve her ability to track the ball and know where to put her glove. It applies to all fielding and can start in the back yard with you.

This makes so much more sense for some reason when I was reading about the rotation I thought it was the opposite and I was so confused. Thank you!

 

[Beachbom1983]

Yup. When we talk about clocks, it means the direction the spin is going as it's coming to you.

So a fastball or dropball will be 12 to 6 (mostly), meaning as the ball comes to you the spin is downward. The spot on the ball at 12 o'clock will be visible to you as it moves down the ball and then disappears from sight at 6 o'clock.

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Beachbom1983]

Playing catch every day (or almost daily) is just so good. It creates a bond, gets you some exercise, and will make her a better player in short order. I'm talking 10 minutes. You get home from work, yell out to daughter "Let's play catch" and you do it. Done before you know it.

I love having a catch with my kids. It's such a natural activity for having a conversation. And you can obviously have fun in the early stages, trying to catch 3 in a row, then 5 in a row, etc.

You, as a "coach", can give tips. After a few weeks you move back a few steps but don't really tell her.

You start throwing right to her glove best you can. Then you work in backhand catches and low catches.


As far as throwing goes, it seems are more bad drills than good these days. I don't like wrist flicks, I don't like T-drills, I don't like "touch the fence" drills. I really like Wasermann stuff.

If this helps any, please use it. It might help, it might not. I put it together for one of the girls on our team.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Relax arm, but keep it strong. Don’t let ball move your glove and arm much. Don’t let ball control you.

Ball within your shoulders, use two hands. Outside your shoulder, use one hand.

Catch ball like you’re high fiving the ball.


DRILL 1 – WINDSHIELD WIPER

Girl and thrower on knees (to isolate this to arm only), about 4 feet apart facing each other. No glove. Throw underhand, ball moving up. Keep your glove-hand (Sally’s left hand) bent at elbow, and catch ball with glove-hand. Eyes follow ball into glove hand. Squeeze and catch ball. It’s OK if you miss ball, the point is getting the arm to the ball with fingers up. Move arm left and right like a windshield wiper.

Use tennis ball. Throw ball straight, little to the left, little to the right. Mix it up so she can do “windshield wiper” and get them all.

Don’t stab at ball – receive the ball. Your arm will bend slightly into your body as you receive/catch the ball.



DRILL 2 – BACK OF HEAD THROWING


Elbow leads the hand through, wrist is cocked. Elbow is bent to 90 degrees or less as the front foot hits the ground, and this drill helps your body learn these two things.

Sally can do this with partner, or against wall. DO NOT combine this with other drills. They need to be done independently.

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, feet facing forward. Hold squeeze ball in throwing hand, against back of head. This establishes the elbow bend. Next, rotate shoulders to 90 degrees (shoulders now pointing to target). Waist will bend too – let it rotate naturally and focus on getting shoulders pointing to target. Throw ball, with elbow leading the hand. Release and follow through with hand across body down towards pants pocket on glove (left) side.

This is not a drill we do in practice. Betty and I do it at home every time we warm up, however. Doing this drill will naturally lead to a better full throw and the motions of this drill will become incorporated into the full throw. Work on this daily, but don’t think about it outside of your drills at home.


DRILL 3 – OFF THE WALL DRILL

Just Sally, with glove. Stand about 4-6 feet from wall. Throw squeeze ball against wall, underhand. Ball should return to you about chest high. Catch with glove using windshield wiper movements. Keep glove-hand elbow bent. Repeat over and over. You can probably do 50 catches in 3-4 minutes. Repeat daily.

For balls coming back between your shoulders, use two hands. Balls outside your shoulders, use one hand.

Make sure any ball above your belt is caught with fingers up. If ball comes in below your belt, fingers down. If ball comes belt high, best to bend knees and catch with fingers of glove hand pointing upward. Only catch ball with fingers pointing down if ball below the belt.

Wow thank you so much! I am definitely going to try these.