Softball Throwing Drills - Back Throw Drill

Softball Throwing Drills - Back Throw Drill
Our next throw is called back throws. Basically, these throw is to really emphasize proper
alignment. A big and very common problem in throwing a softball is the arm alignment.
So what do you see in very consistent basis among young softball player is one that they
go and wind up or bring the arms back often, they go too far back. And as you can see the
ball behind my head, I’m way too far and I’m not in proper alignment. I need to go
out and be aligned with the rest of my body in a straight line. You have to be properly
aligned with your target. This throw is really designed to teach and get feedback with your
athletes on how to wind up their arms or bring it back. So the purpose of the drill is to
start pretty much like of a major league. Baseball pitchers would run in to bases while
you’re here on the side and you just going to take a step back. So let’s say my target
is over there, facing me. What I do from here is to take a step forward as I am separating
my hands, but instead of getting all the way into my throwing position, I would release
the ball back and throw it into my partner which going to be studying behind me.
Now, pay attention because a lot of athlete at first will just throw it back this way.
You have to use the same motion so that the athlete will get the right thing. Let’s
do an example of these. I’m going to be her partner and I’m going to set up behind
her but she has to pretend I’m actually in front of her. So it’s like she’s throwing
to someone in front of her but for the purpose of that drill is I’m going to be behind
her. So, the whole idea again is for her to work on and making sure that her arm path
is straight back, not over here. So if you’re working with a partner and you see the ball
behind her head, their alignment is incorrect and they have to fix that. So let’s do a
proper example. What might have happening, during that drill is I could be standing here
at first, so a lot of athlete will actually throw over here. That would be a bad example
where I had to chase the ball around and these is very common when you start using that drill.
So two things to emphasize during that drill. Make sure that they actually think that they
throwing the ball forward because there are times they are just going to shoot the ball
this way, just like they are making a pass and they’re going to look back. You don’t
want them to look back, you want them to look forward, stop, and then turn around to see
where the ball went. That’s the first thing and make sure it’s on the line and at the
same time that they’re doing it properly.