Hula hoop target throwing game

At a glance

Sport

Baseball and Softball

Skill

Throwing

Ages

6U to 10U

Players

6 to 12, in two teams

Time

About 10 minutes

Level

Beginner

Equipment

Gloves, A bucket of balls, Two hula hoops and zip ties or clips, Four cones, A chain-link fence

Indoors

Needs a field

Young players throw at an area, not a spot. A hula hoop tied to a fence gives them a bright, round target they can see, and the fence behind it means nobody has to catch a wild throw. It is a good game for the middle of practice, when energy is dropping and plain catch would lose them.

Scoring for both the fence and the hoop keeps everyone in it: a beginner who hits the fence still puts points on the board, and a stronger thrower is chasing the hoop.

Setup

• Tie two hula hoops to a chain-link fence at about chest height for your players, about 5 feet apart.
• Set two throwing cones 20 to 30 feet back from the fence, with a waiting cone a few steps behind each one.
• Put three balls at each throwing cone and a bucket between the two lines. Split the players into two even teams, one line per hoop.

How to run it

1. The first player in each line steps up to the throwing cone.
2. On the coach's go, both throwers throw their three balls, one at a time, at their team's hoop.
3. While they throw, the next player in line puts three fresh balls at the cone from the bucket.
4. Score 2 points for a throw that hits the fence and 3 for a ball inside the hoop.
5. Go through the whole line, add up the points, and play again with the teams switching hoops.

Coaching points

• Point the glove and front shoulder at the middle of the hoop before every throw.
• Elbow up at shoulder height, not dropped down and pushing the ball.
• Reset the feet and take a real step toward the fence on each of the three balls.
• Finish the throw with the hand coming down past the opposite knee.

Common mistakes

• Firing all three balls in a hurry without resetting the feet.
• Slowing the arm down to aim the ball like a dart.
• The next player in line standing too close to the thrower while reloading.

Printable drill card

Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.

Smaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).

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