CA2105948A1

CA2105948A1 - Athletic training device

Info

Publication number: CA2105948A1
Application number: CA 2105948
Authority: CA
Inventors: Jack Bionda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-09-10
Filing date: 1993-09-10
Publication date: 1995-03-11

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A training device is provided in which a ball is secured to the end of an extensible elastic cord, the other end of which has means to fasten it to a lacrosse stick or to a player's wrist.

Description

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This invention relates to improvements in training apparatus and techniques. In particular, it relates to means for practising and training individuals in the coordination required to play ball games.
Games such as baseball, softball and lacrosse require a great deal of eye-hand coordination. As a result, training usually involves long hours of practise throwing and catching a ball, either by hand or with a lacrosse stick.
This has traditionally meant that two people are required, unlike basketball or tennis, in order to play or practise.
Alternatives, such as bouncing a ball off a wall, are unsatisfactory in the case of a baseball or softball because it does not bounce like a rubber ball or tennis ball. Rven for balls that are more elastic, such as a lacrosse ball, this form of practise usually results in damage to the wall or a lot of repetitive noise which is annoying to others.
It is therefore the purpose of this invention to provide means whereby a ball such as a baseball, softball or lacrosse ball can be thrown and caught by a single person alone without bouncing off a wall or other structure.
Furthermore, it is intended to allow a player to practise throwing and catching without being restricted to the location of a particular piece of apparatus or device.
In other words it can be used while the operator is walking or moving about unlike throwing machines or devices such as tennis trainers where the ball is anchored to the ground.

9 ~ 8 -These objects and other advantages are sought to be achieved by the present invention in which a ball is connected to one end of an expandable elastlc line or cord, the other end of which has means to be fastened to the player 5or to the top end of a lacrosse stick. In the case of a lacrosse ball a short narrow strap with a fastener may be used to secure it around the wooden end of a lacrosse stick.
In the case of a baseball the end of the elastic cord may be fastened to a strap which can be wrapped around the wrist 10of the player and secured by a fastening means, such as Velcro (trade mark).
The inven-tion may be better understood by a detailed description of a couple of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:
15Figure 1 illustrates a lacrosse ball adapted to be used in connection with a lacrosse stick;
Figure 2 illustrates a baseball adapted to be used for playing catch by a single player;
Figure 3 illustrates the device in Figure 2 20attached to the wrist of a player; and Figure 4 illustrates the device in Figure attached to the end of a lacrosse stick.

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In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 1 the lacrosse ball 2 has a hole drilled through it into which is inserted two ends of a nylon cord leaving a loop 4 to which is attached an elastic line 6 which is passed through the loop and fastened by a metal clip 5 which crimps the cord to secure it. At the other end of the elastic line a similar clip 7 fastens the end of the elastic to a D-ring 10 which has a piece of webbing 12 fastened thereto. The webbing is approximately an inch wide and six inches long and has two halves of a dome fastener 14 at respective ends thereof so that the strap may be attached to the frame portion of a lacrosse stick 16, as illustrated in Figure 4.
In use, the strap 12 is wrapped around the wooden loop of a lacrosse stick at the end remote from the handle and the ball can be thrown from the lacrosse stick so that it extends the elastic line and stretches it beyond its normal position until the tension is sufficient to pull the ball back towards the player who could then catch it again in the mesh of the lacrosse stick. This sort of maneuver may be repeated over and over to develop the player's strength and coordination.
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In addition, variations may be developed by the player based on how hard the ball is thrown, how firmly the stick is held when the elastic is stretched, and whether the ball is snapped back by the player somewhat like a fishing rod, and so on.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 a baseball 22 is attached by means of a corded loop 24 to an elastic line 26, the other end of which is similarly attached to a D-ring 30. The D-ring is attached to a short strap 32 which has a perpendicular strap 34 fastened to it. A
, pad 36 is intended to provide a soft cushion when wrapped arolmd the wrist of the player and together with the strap 34 which is a strong webbing material forms a wrist band.
In this embodiment the wrist band is fastened by means of mating hook and loop fastener material 38 and 40, such a.s Velcro (trade mark), so that the wrist band may be easily attached or released from the wearer's wrist or adjusted for tightness, as illustrated in Figure 3.
With this embodiment a player may simulate a game of "catch" by throwing the ball with one hand (depending on whether the player is left handed or right handed), and when the ball is pulled back by the elastic line the player can catch it in the same hand, both hands, or preferably in the other hand with a baseball glove.

2~ 8 Thus, by means of the present invention, a player may practise his eye-hand coordination with a baseball, softball, or lacrosse ball without having to recruit another player to practise with, and without the annoyance and damage caused by bouncing a ball off a wall or similar structure.
While the present invention is not limited to specific means of construction, it has been found that a ball may be adequately fastened by drilling a hole and inserti~g the ends of a nylon cord which can be frayed, melted, or glued to maintain it in the ball. This loop gives a soft flexible means by which the elastic line may be attached. The nature and specification of the elastic line will depend on the characteristics ox rebound whlch the player desires. However, it has been folmd by the inventor that surgical tubing approximately 20 inches for the lacrosse ball and 36 inches for the baseball are satisfactory.
In particular, these lengths allow the apparatus to be used in a relatively confined area or while walking down the street and across the field without having to find a playing field or designated area to use the apparatus.
While the preferred method of operation appears to be to fasten the strap to the end of a lacrosse stick, it is of course entirely possible to fasten it elsewhere if desiredO
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Similarly, although the baseball device is described contemplating that it would be attached to the player's wrist, it is entirely possible that it could be fastened to the person in some other way.
It will, of course, be realized that numerous variations and modifications of the described embodiments might be employed without departing from the inventive concept herein.

Claims

1. An athletic training device comprising a ball, an elastically extensible cord having two ends, means to fasten one end of said cord to said ball, means at the other end of said cord to fasten said cord to a player.

2. A training device as claimed in claim 1 in which said means to fasten said cord to a player is a strap fastenable about the player's wrist.

3. An athletic training device comprising a ball, an elastically extensible cord having two ends, means to fasten one end of said cord to said ball, means at the other end of said cord to fasten said cord to an athletic apparatus for handling said ball.

4. A training device as claimed in claim 3 in which said attaching means comprises a strap fastenable about the frame portion of a lacrosse stick.