Softball Throwing Mechanics

Softball skills can be very complicated. For new athletes who are learning skills there can be so much information that it can be overwhelming. I put this softball throwing mechanics checklist together and found them great for breaking the skills down in smaller and easier to implement chunks of information.

You can print them off and laminate them and then have the players actually evaluate each other on them. I would not do it very often but a few times so that they are seeing what is being taught. Sometimes to teach a skill like softball throwing is a great way to learn one as well.

Softball Throwing Mechanics

Preparation

_____ 3 finger grip across the seams

_____ glove side foot is closer to the target

_____ weight is on the back foot

_____ glove or glove side elbow is pointed toward the target

_____ throwing hand elbow is at shoulder height at a 90 degree angle and away from the head

_____ eyes are on the target

Execution

_____ your eyes are on the target as you step toward it with your throwing hand foot which steps in front

_____ weight transfers to your front foot then push off your front foot

_____ the shoulder leads the elbow of the throwing hand

_____ weight transfers to your glove side foot that has stepped forward

_____ your forearm rotates through with the ball up high

_____ the glove hand or elbow comes down

_____ the throwing hand arm extends and the wrist snaps as you release the ball

Follow Through

_____ your weight is on your front (glove side) foot

_____ your front knee is bent

_____ your throwing hand crosses over your body to the other side with your throwing shoulder forward

_____ your throwing shoulder is forward

_____ finish back in your balanced position with your eyes on the target you just threw to