It Doesn’t Take A Rocket Scientist

What a delightful conversation. Recently we had a three-way email exchange between one of our Certified Instructors, a pitcher’s dad, and myself. He sought to understand some of the movements and how they produced and transferred energy.

Here are some of the phrases he used. “This provides forward momentum and increases the overall baseline starting forward velocity. “ And, this one, “…creating an imbalance around the vertical axis of the body.” Then there was this one, “The physically symmetric with asymmetric arm speeds makes sense mechanically, and is supported by many of the recently adopted drills.”

Who is this guy, a rocket scientist? He truly is. Brilliant, observant, and because he works in a field where the smallest mistake can have serious consequences, he pays attention to every detail.

We enjoyed the exchanges so much. He would begin a question and, before he knew it, he was running through the process using the mind of a rocket scientist, thinking of efficiencies, variables, creating energy, and efficiently delivering the energy to the ball. Aha! He discovered exactly why we were approaching things in our own unique way. That process would then lead him to the next question, and before long he was answering that one long before hitting the “send” button.

This is the fun of our job. We have received endorsements from so many professions, such as a former NFL kicker, a couple of people who played on the pro golf tour, an Olympic Ice Skater, doctors, chiropractors, therapists, former college pitchers, and strength trainers with advanced degrees. These people know how the body works most effectively and say our approach is valid and effective.

Most importantly we have received thousands of “thank you” notes from parents and pitchers who suddenly saw their dreams become reality. But, now a rocket scientist? At times I have tried to help kids understand how simple it is to work in ways that are completely natural to the human body instead of getting tight and trying to force things. During those times, I illustrated how easy it can be to relax and let things happen by saying, “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand this”.

This man’s little girl just goes out and wins. She worked hard and now it feels great. That is all she needed to know. The rocket scientist saw the results and liked it. His mind had to be satisfied. “Why does it work so well?” Once those questions were satisfied he came on board.
Maybe I should change what I say to the kids. How about, “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand this. But, even if you are, it will eventually become clear”.

Note: We first published this article a few years ago, but it has a lot of points that are increasingly important. Special thanks to our NASA rocket scientist for being such a great sport and letting me poke fun at him. Finally, I recently worked with his daughter. She is now more mature and with the potential to have a huge impact on a top college program. We love following our kids, watching them grow, and seeing the parents enjoy the ride.