Holding the hurl the right way

Deskjockey

My 6 year old has just started playing hurling this year with our local club. He is kind of soccer mad but likes going hurling as a few buddies from his class do it too.
The club are brilliant and are well organised with good drills etc. I know he's only 6 and its all very early days but he is holding the hurl left hand on top and its a bit akward looking. He's a stubborn little divil and anytime I say it to him he just says he prefers it this way. He is right handed.

I honestly don't want to be the pushy dad and spoil his enjoyment of it, and I actually don't really say it that much to him as he is still small but ... I would love if he would just feckin do it right

Has anyone else come across the same situation. Is this the time to fix it as he's starting out or is it something that can be fixed when he's a little older in a year or two?

endacl

Yeah, I'd change it now. On the other hand, no pun intended, maybe you have the next McIlroy on your hands. In this case it should be encouraged!

Deskjockey

endacl wrote: »

Yeah, I'd change it now. On the other hand, no pun intended, maybe you have the next McIlroy on your hands. In this case it should be encouraged!

:-) follow the money

I was looking across at him at hurling training earlier when they were doing the whole drop the hurl thing, pick it up with your good hand , lock and load thing, and there he was picking it up with his left hand . I must have a word with one if the coaches actually he might listen to them more than his Dad!!

endacl

Obvious question that just occurred to me...?

Is the young fella left or right handed? Dominant hand on top.

therunaround

Glue a right handed glove to the top of the hurl, have seen it work well

Deskjockey

endacl wrote: »

Obvious question that just occurred to me...?

Is the young fella left or right handed? Dominant hand on top.

I actually edited my opening post to add in that he's right handed. So he has his weaker hand on top.

Deskjockey

therunaround wrote: »

Glue a right handed glove to the top of the hurl, have seen it work well

Thanks but I'd say he'd go absolutely bananas if I went and did that to his nice new hurl...

endacl

Deskjockey wrote: »

I actually edited my opening post to add in that he's right handed. So he has his weaker hand on top.

That won't work. Try it yourself to see how awkward it feels. No power on the 'pull'. Also, if he tries any of the single hand stuff, he'll either be holding the hurl at less than its length and losing reach, or trying to control it with his weaker hand. Even with something as basic as rising the sliotar, he'll have to cross over his right hand to get the catching hand in a position to catch.

I'd encourage him to try it right hand back.

endacl

Whoops. Just read your opening again. So you did...

Kristopherus

IMHO youngsters aged 6-9 should be coached to be ambi-dextrous. That way they can easily transfer hands when they reach teenage years.

endacl

Deskjockey wrote: »

He is kind of soccer mad.

I know he's only 6 and its all very early days but he is holding the hurl left hand on top and its a bit akward looking.

After several serious posts, perhaps you'll indulge me...?

There's your problem in bold!!!! Bl**dy foreign games!!!!

biko

He might just be stubborn for now. He knows it's not right and will probably change over by himself. Give it a few months and see if he changes over.
If he does, don't make a big deal about it or "I told you so". Kids will experiment and find their way themselves.

I was trying to show the little one how to hold the hurl, made her join a team etc but 6 months later she packed it altogether Just hoping the interest come back.

Deskjockey

endacl wrote: »

That won't work. Try it yourself to see how awkward it feels. No power on the 'pull'. Also, if he tries any of the single hand stuff, he'll either be holding the hurl at less than its length and losing reach, or trying to control it with his weaker hand. Even with something as basic as rising the sliotar, he'll have to cross over his right hand to get the catching hand in a position to catch.

I'd encourage him to try it right hand back.

Sure I know... It's a balls. Hard to nag the chap over it when he is enjoying it. It's all ground hurling now so maybe when it comes to the stage when they're picking it up etc it'll feel wrong to try to control it with his bad hand?

endacl

Deskjockey wrote: »

Sure I know... It's a balls. Hard to nag the chap over it when he is enjoying it. It's all ground hurling now so maybe when it comes to the stage when they're picking it up etc it'll feel wrong to try to control it with his bad hand?

Ah I know. I'd say try to change it by encouragement, but not to the point of annoying him. Its only a game after all. Especially when you're six! Probably says more about pernickety me.

What do the coaches say? Guaranteed they've seen it before.

Deskjockey

endacl wrote: »

After several serious posts, perhaps you'll indulge me...?

There's your problem in bold!!!! Bl**dy foreign games!!!!

This is true

He's talking about learning Spanish so he can live in Barcelona when he's older.

I haven't the heart to tell him they speak Catalan there :-)

Deskjockey

endacl wrote: »

Ah I know. I'd say try to change it by encouragement, but not to the point of annoying him. Its only a game after all. Especially when you're six! Probably says more about pernickety me.

What do the coaches say? Guaranteed they've seen it before.

I haven't asked as we've only been there say 5 nights so far. I must ask, that would be the sensible thing. I am actually helping out in one of the drills, very enjoyable

Amazing to see the skills some kids have at that age

Deskjockey

biko wrote: »

He might just be stubborn for now. He knows it's not right and will probably change over by himself. Give it a few months and see if he changes over.
If he does, don't make a big deal about it or "I told you so". Kids will experiment and find their way themselves.

I was trying to show the little one how to hold the hurl, made her join a team etc but 6 months later she packed it altogether Just hoping the interest come back.

Maybe, hopefully a bit of subtle encouragement will help him change over,, trying not too make too much of a big deal of it. Good advice about not saying I told you so. Hopefully your girl will pick it up again

endacl

Deskjockey wrote: »

I haven't asked as we've only been there say 5 nights so far. I must ask, that would be the sensible thing. I am actually helping out in one of the drills, very enjoyable

Amazing to see the skills some kids have at that age

I know. These days people tell kids that things are fun, not that they're hard. Lovely to see how quickly they pick stuff up by enjoying, rather than trying...

nice_guy80

small light hurley is crucial

otherwise they put stronger hand down further on the hurley to 'push' the ball.
you need to encourage a wristy swing - cannot do that with a hurley that is too long or heavy

nice_guy80

Kristopherus wrote: »

IMHO youngsters aged 6-9 should be coached to be ambi-dextrous. That way they can easily transfer hands when they reach teenage years.

not with hurling

Deskjockey

nice_guy80 wrote: »

small light hurley is crucial

otherwise they put stronger hand down further on the hurley to 'push' the ball.
you need to encourage a wristy swing - cannot do that with a hurley that is too long or heavy

Makes sense!

riffmongous

Best to ask the coaches imo, it can be a tricky issue as I know some people just automatically prefer using the 'wrong' hand. I'm left handed myself but for a lot of sports I favour my right hand, here's an old thread from a few years ago http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056344418

spud65

my tuppence worth from a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056941432

if you get a light football not a beach ball the one thats a bit heavier and as often as you can just play a game with him hitting it back an forth as fast/often as he can for 2/3min with only the dominant hand a couple of inches from the top of the hurl do not put the less dominant hand on the hurl at any time even when he wants to. we do it for up 15/20min with older lads, we use the smallest an lightest hurl we have to do this drill an it works a treat. because he's only 5 it would be too hard to try any more than 2/3min.

Jogathon

There is a grip corrector that we use with the 5-7 year olds in our Camogie club. It looks sort of like a protector you would see on a sword. The most important thing a coach can do at that age is get the grip correct.

http://www.cumashurling.com/corrector.asp

Deskjockey

Jogathon wrote: »

There is a grip corrector that we use with the 5-7 year olds in our Camogie club. It looks sort of like a protector you would see on a sword. The most important thing a coach can do at that age is get the grip correct.

http://www.cumashurling.com/corrector.asp

Thanks all - didn't realise someone had asked the exact same q a few weeks ago!