Video Rabbit Hole
Video Rabbit Hole
When you first start working with a player on their mechanics, you have to understand that the player is not a robot. Making mechanical changes isn’t as easy as changing out parts. Besides, there is a lot more that goes into being a successful player than just swing or pitching mechanics and as coaches, we should take everything into consideration. Everything from their performance, mental approach, their personality, their physical attributes…the list goes on and on. That’s what makes our jobs as coaches exciting. Everyone we work with brings something new to the table.
Once you and the player reach the point of wanting to change mechanics most people turn to video and I must admit, that’s where I start as well. High speed video offers us insights into things that were previously unseen by the naked eye. However, our response to this information is truly the art of coaching.
For example, when working with a player, I’m pretty sure you can find an MLB player to match what they do mechanically or you could find an MLB player that does something different. Let’s say you have a player who lands their stride with a closed foot orientation. You sit down and explain that most players have a slightly open position at landing. Then you show him examples like this…
The story goes that these guys are pretty successful and if you do that, you will be too. But what about these guys…
Again, most coaches use these examples to prove or disprove that what you are doing is either right or wrong. But by showing successful players who do things differently, I hope this example shows you that the bigger question should be “Is it right for me?”
This gets back to the point made earlier about how coaches and players have to take everything into consideration before deciding about a certain path to follow. It’s this conversation and process that separate coaches from experts at video/information.