Beyond Mechanics

Beyond Mechanics

“Do this and you will gain five miles per hour”.  You see this so often on social media, but that is ignoring one of the most important components.  This week our Certified Instructors gathered for one of the most important online meetings ever.  What are a dozen things that prevent kids from reaching their potential that go beyond mechanics? 

We do a lot of different training in our meetings.  In this session, the discussion of mechanics was forbidden.  We will talk about real examples of where we helped a student suddenly make a breakthrough that changed everything.

Thinking that there is a formula for development that ignores the physical deficiencies, mental adjustments needed, or even chemical imbalances is short sighted.  Everyone wants it to be simple, but for many kids it is not that simple. 

Here is one simple example.  If she is ADHD, adjusting my approach to take advantage of her incredible super-powers, things that come with that situation, can free her to succeed on her own terms.  Another example.  One student struggled with a faulty release.  I sent her to a special doctor.  A tendon in the wrist was out of place, and he made a simple adjustment that changed everything.  We would never have discovered the problem if we hammered mechanics all of the time.

We have a dozen more examples, but it takes looking at the whole student, not forcing drills or movements upon her.  If your pitcher is struggling, probe deeper.  Ask questions, find someone who will do the same.  The real answer can be in places most people never look.