Woo! Sweet Success! My son can throw a baseball!

[Nathans_Dad]

After a few weeks of failure, I finally found a way to explain throwing a baseball the right way that seemed to click with him.

When he started he would throw as most young kids do, facing you, flat footed and more of a shotput motion with the arm as anything else. He started T-Ball this year and can hit pretty well, but has always been stymied by throwing.

Anyhow, I found a youth baseball site on the net and they recommended talking about the throw as a half-circle motion. The ball is in the glove, the hand meets it in the center of the chest. Then both hands move down and away with the glove pointing at the target while the hand with the ball is 180 degrees away. Then the throwing hand comes over the top in a half circle and the ball is released.

Today we worked on turning sideways before you throw and then doing a "circle throw". For whatever reason it worked. He was throwing 100% better and even getting it 15 feet or so in the air to my glove.

Geez, I was going nuts for a while there!

[the]

Good for you!

Nothing worse in baseball than a boy who throws like a girl!

[Nathans_Dad]

It was pretty amazing how hard it was to explain something to him that I just do instinctively. Everyone has to learn how to throw at some point, but it just becomes second nature, you don't think about it anymore. Having to go back and really THINK about how to throw a ball was eye opening.

[Jims5543]

I am a failure as a father I do not like stick and ball sports so I concentrate on motorsports with the kids, the 14 y/o is in a racing kart and the 4 year old is on the "simulator". My 14 y/o is really not into stick and ball either and we gave him plenty of opportunity to pursue it, he would rather race his Kart than play ball. In one more year he will be autocrossing with me.

He is still having trouble with the pedals...




Rick - congrats on the breakthrough though, it is really hard to explain something that comes as instinct. Good job finding a way. Your obviously a good dad when you try to find an alternative explanation.

[Nathans_Dad]

I try to be a good dad...of course visions of him pitching in the big leagues has something to do with too.....

[mattdavis11]

Youngsters are very impressionable. Do whatever it takes to keep the boy away from being entertained by watching the Rangers. Disregard if your son has a contract w/ said organization.

[id10t]

Failure here - no sports for me, so I've not been a lot of help for my boy and his t-ball attempt this spring. Well, small bore rifle, skeet, trap, sporting clays, IPSC/IDPA, etc . Oh, and fishing.

But my kid is mostly thru his first season of tball, he seems to stay with it, and I've actually seen a lot of improvement/learning. So, he'll do it again in Fall if he is still interested...

[Nathans_Dad]

Man don't get me started on the Rangers...

We did go to a Ranger game about 2 weeks ago, his first major league baseball game. Of course his favorite part was eating peanuts and watching the dot races...

We're going to the game on Sunday night as well, the good news about having a sucky baseball team is you can always get tickets!

I will say this for the Rangers, you can get tickets to the upper deck outfield on any day for $6 for adults and $3 for kids. Pretty decent deal for an afternoon of hardball.

[madmmac]

Good for you. I have lost count on how many kids I have taught. I have used the example of shooting a bow and arrow. The bow hand is the glove hand and the string hand is the throwing hand. Out with the bow/glove hand, back with the string/ball hand and just lift the elbow up to a 90 degree angle and you are pointing sideways to the target with the glove pointing at it. I have put kids with their backs against the dugout in the proper setup to enforce the side aspect of throwing.

Now get the weight transfer going back on the draw back and then going forward with the release and he will be well on his way.
He just pitched his opening day for Colt league with a 2 hitter getting the win.

Gratuitous pic....My Lefty a couple years ago, incoming football change-up.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Jim Cesiro

I am a failure as a father I do not like stick and ball sports so I concentrate on motorsports with the kids, the 14 y/o is in a racing kart and the 4 year old is on the "simulator". My 14 y/o is really not into stick and ball either and we gave him plenty of opportunity to pursue it, he would rather race his Kart than play ball. In one more year he will be autocrossing with me.

He is still having trouble with the pedals...




Rick - congrats on the breakthrough though, it is really hard to explain something that comes as instinct. Good job finding a way. Your obviously a good dad when you try to find an alternative explanation.

Watever floats your boat, Jim...but with kids? Do pay atention to what floats their boats...as individuals.

[Jeff Alton]

Good advice Paul!!

I expose my son to everything under the son and see what he likes. Right now he is into his second year of T-ball. He loves it, I never played it (about the only sport I didn't play) but it is all good!

Rick, pretty pround moments when the get the "knack" of something!!! Enjoy it, there are many more of those days to come!

Cheers

[pwd72s]

Jeff...Kudos to you! Influence as you wish, but let the kid choose his own path...give he or she many options...

[Nathans_Dad]

Yeah the weight transfer thing is still eluding him. He is doing better, for some reason he wants to stomp his leading foot and then throw, he hasn't gotten the idea of stepping into the throw. I am trying to get him to step through (i.e. step with the leading foot and throw as he is taking an actual step forward with the trailing foot) to get an idea of stepping into the throw but it doesn't seem to be working just yet. I'm sure he'll get it.

[Jeff Alton]

Throwing a ball is harder than it looks! Especailly weight transfer. After the first time he gets it, no looking back!!!

Cheers

[Wickd89]

Originally Posted by Nathans_Dad

I try to be a good dad...of course visions of him pitching in the big leagues has something to do with too.....

You and me both. Every time I talk about it, he tells me likes soccer for some reason. I hope he tried both...

[madmmac]

Originally Posted by Nathans_Dad

Yeah the weight transfer thing is still eluding him. He is doing better, for some reason he wants to stomp his leading foot and then throw, he hasn't gotten the idea of stepping into the throw. I am trying to get him to step through (i.e. step with the leading foot and throw as he is taking an actual step forward with the trailing foot) to get an idea of stepping into the throw but it doesn't seem to be working just yet. I'm sure he'll get it.

Get him down on his on his back/plant leg knee. It should be 90 degrees to his front foot point, which is pointing at the target. Think like a pitcher holding a runner on first base, but he is down on his right knee, his right foot is pointing towards first base with the toes in the ground. This is assuming he is right handed. His left foot is pointing towards home plate and so is his shoulder line. Lift the front foot and rock back on the knee and throw the ball to home as the weight transfers. He will quickly get the proper feel for it and it is very easy for him to tell when he is doing it right as the ball will be thrown much better and further with the proper transfer.