That does make sense, thanks. It seems like it applies to pitching rather than just throwing, correct?
My question is how to help my son (7) expand his throwing capabilities, both in length/speed and accuracy for regular fielding throws. He can throw is about 50-60' fairly well, but still has a tendency to lose his fundamentals and make poor throws. We play catch a bit and he's on a team where he gets lots of practice, but I'd like to help him improve. He also has a pitch-back in our yard which he uses pretty religiously. Is it better to have him work on increasing his speed on shorter throws or to work on longer tossing?
I was a catcher in my youth and in adult beer leagues, and the amount of coaching, suggestions, tips, and instructions I got over the years would fill a couple of books.
Keep it simple and repetitive. Try repeating four steps over and over.
1. Focus your eyes on the target and keep them there.
2. Point your opposite hip in the direction you’re throwing and point your glove or glove-hand elbow (the “chicken wing”) at the target.
3. Plant your front foot and make your arm a whip.
4. Follow the ball. Do not fall off to either side.
There’s a whole lot more to throwing a ball than that, of course, but for kids it’s best to keep it simple and repetitive. Repetition and concentration are the best way to keep from losing your fundamentals.
It also helps to watch older kids and ballgames on TV and imitate what the players do. Really.
When my nephew was 9 and starting out in Little League, my brother-in-law the former linebacker (never played a day of baseball) asked me to come over and coach the kid. My nephew is an intense little guy.
We played catch and then wandered over the the mound. I got behind the plate and my brother-in-law said, “Show Uncle Jordu how you pitch!” I was astonished. For a 9-year-old, his mechanics were SOLID. His balance was excellent, his motion was compact, and his timing was in sync.
“JJ, where did you learn to pitch like that?”
“I watch baseball on TV, Uncle Jordu, and I get up from the couch and copy what the pitcher does. I wanna be the pitcher.”
He’s 12 now and straight up mowing kids down.