Long Toss

How do you guys teach it? Here's my system, and please let me know if it's wrong.

For 11-12s, I ask them to make a long, relatively flat throw very much like I'd teach an outfielder, except a tad higher (at its apex the long toss would just clear a leaping cutoff man). I show them how to use the crow hop (which I think teaches weight transfer and balance) and I try to get their weight on the balls of their feet. I look for a closed landing on the stride, three-quarter arm slot, steady head position with nose toward the target, and follow-through to a balanced landing (no falling off to the side), with the throwing shoulder finishing toward the target. I insist on a true 4-seam fastball spin and a dead straight throw with no tailing or side spin. For outfielders, this is crucial, since a one-hopper to the infield will only bounce true if it's thrown with true backspin. For pitchers, this is a great way to force good backspin on their fastballs. Anything other than perfect spin shows up in the line of the throw and will also make a difference in the distance.

Before each session, I make them stretch and use the rubber tubing. I start with a dozen easy throws at 45', work back to six or eight at 60', then 100', then the maximum, which is usually between 120 and 160 feet. By "maximum", I mean the greatest distance the kid can throw a ball in the air with good form and reasonable accuracy (I should be able to make the catch without moving more than a step or two in either direction). At first, l'm cautious, and limit them to about 5 throws at the maximum distance, with a day of rest between sessions, and work up from there.