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National Dodgeball League
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National Dodgeball League
2601 2nd Ave. S., Studio 1
Minneapolis, MN 55408
"Rondo drives, swoops behind the back to Allen for two!" We see it in basketball often. In baseball it's less frequent, but equally entertaining. Perhaps you've even seen the quarterback who, with a deceptive look and flick of the wrist, threw a touchdown pass to the bewilderment of the opposing team. The behind the back pass/throw - subtle, surprising, dazzling...and just one of the lethal weapons in your dodgeball arsenal.
Accuracy comes with practice, but deception and speed are what make it a queue shot.
Establish your regular arm motion first, and then throw behind the back using the same windup to deceive opponents. Disguise your intentions to take them by surprise. "Look off" your opponent by focusing your eyes on one of their teammates, and use your body to screen their sight of the ball until the moment of release. Your intended target will anticipate a regular throw at a different person.
Execute the release quickly. Minimize your windup time to reduce opponent anticipation. Generate velocity through swinging your arm down and behind you, and add additional power by rotating your hips in the direction of the throw. Try to do this without compromising your deception.
The downside of a behind the back throw is reduced power and accuracy. It is more effective at the center line where these weaknesses are balanced by being closer to opponents and deception can make its impact. My favorite scenario is (as a right handed thrower) approaching the line at a 45° angle as if attacking the right side. While in the drawback phase of my motion I flick my hips and wrist to throw to the left instead. Other situations include protecting your flank, or faking to force a reaction and then finishing them with a normal throw.
Another variation of the behind the back throw is performing a 360° clockwise (right handed) spin and releasing the ball approximately 180° - 270° into the spin. This offers considerably more velocity with the added shock and power coming from the speed of rotating your body.
An effective behind the back throw will make you a more versatile and dangerous player. Additionally, learning how to execute a behind the back throw leads to other combination throws such as the Double Tap, Double Dragon, and the Rude Awakening.
