American in Spain

How to throw a ball against a wall

September 14, 2012

How to throw a ball against a wall (thumbnail)One day back in July, I was out with my daughter at the school playground and she was playing with a ball. She wasn't throwing it very well, so I stepped in to fulfill my fathering responsibility of teaching my child how to throw a ball. I explained that you turn your side to the target, and step forward with the opposite foot as you pivot your body and transfer your weight before releasing the ball. Step by step, I pointed out how my body was positioned as I slowly mimicked throwing the ball. I have my doubts as to how much of my instruction sunk in, but she clearly loved my narration of physical activity because she immediately (and for several hours afterwards) began describing whatever she was doing in the form, "You need to do this, and then this." Apparently, the day before, her mother had given her some instruction on throwing a ball against a wall and catching it again, so that is what she began teaching, either to me or to an invisible class of students. So I began filming.

The result was this hilarious video that is a perfect example of her very different skill levels of English speech and hand-eye coordination. It reminds me of a physical comedy sketch, something I could imagine John Cleese or Rowan Atkinson performing with total seriousness.