Maddie (15yo) - Tune Up Session

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May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Maddie had an instructional session with Janelle Lindvall (Oregon, USWNT, NPF) last night as a tune-up in preparation for upcoming TB action. It's been since October since Maddie has had the opportunity to work with Janelle. Janelle is a wonderful person, and a really good teacher. It's always worth the drive (1 hr each way) for Maddie to learn from one of the best in the game.



Throwing: Maddie is pretty well recovered from a rotator cuff strain that limited her at the start of the HS season, and is back to throwing close to full speed. However, Janelle pointed out that she's over-rotating her shoulders (turning her back to the target too much) that is costing her a little time in her throwing pattern. She doesn't need that much shoulder turn to make a strong throw. She can improve her quickness by shortening her turn (shoulders aligned with target).

Blocking: Admittedly, blocking isn't one of the strongest parts of Maddie's skill set. In practice, she tends to do pretty well. In games, however, she mostly picks, and does a good job with it. When she does block in games, it's pretty poor form. It's a mental thing that she's never really sorted out. In this session, she had a couple where she was off balance and tipping forward, and her mitt was not getting all the way down. She definitely needs more work in this area.

Receiving: Multiple left knee injuries over the years have lead Maddie to developing this slightly tweaked stance with her left heel off the ground and low knee. It's comfortable for her, but a bit off-center, and sometimes leads to less-than-great body and arm positions. Janelle has worked with her on getting into a more symmetrical and centered position in the past, and worked on that again in this session. Maddie still tends to default back to the same kind of tweaked setup.
 
Nov 18, 2015
1,585
113
Eric - I haven't been able to watch the video yet, but has she experimented with any one knee setups? With pitcher's accuracy hopefully fairly advanced at this point (thus less need for extreme side-to-side blocking moves), she may find the one knee style more comfortable in general, and maybe even a little quicker for blocking.
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Maddie had an instructional session with Janelle Lindvall (Oregon, USWNT, NPF) last night as a tune-up in preparation for upcoming TB action. It's been since October since Maddie has had the opportunity to work with Janelle. Janelle is a wonderful person, and a really good teacher. It's always worth the drive (1 hr each way) for Maddie to learn from one of the best in the game.



Throwing: Maddie is pretty well recovered from a rotator cuff strain that limited her at the start of the HS season, and is back to throwing close to full speed. However, Janelle pointed out that she's over-rotating her shoulders (turning her back to the target too much) that is costing her a little time in her throwing pattern. She doesn't need that much shoulder turn to make a strong throw. She can improve her quickness by shortening her turn (shoulders aligned with target).

Blocking: Admittedly, blocking isn't one of the strongest parts of Maddie's skill set. In practice, she tends to do pretty well. In games, however, she mostly picks, and does a good job with it. When she does block in games, it's pretty poor form. It's a mental thing that she's never really sorted out. In this session, she had a couple where she was off balance and tipping forward, and her mitt was not getting all the way down. She definitely needs more work in this area.

Receiving: Multiple left knee injuries over the years have lead Maddie to developing this slightly tweaked stance with her left heel off the ground and low knee. It's comfortable for her, but a bit off-center, and sometimes leads to less-than-great body and arm positions. Janelle has worked with her on getting into a more symmetrical and centered position in the past, and worked on that again in this session. Maddie still tends to default back to the same kind of tweaked setup.

Radcatcher style?
 
Feb 10, 2018
496
93
NoVA
Maddie had an instructional session with Janelle Lindvall (Oregon, USWNT, NPF) last night as a tune-up in preparation for upcoming TB action. It's been since October since Maddie has had the opportunity to work with Janelle. Janelle is a wonderful person, and a really good teacher. It's always worth the drive (1 hr each way) for Maddie to learn from one of the best in the game.



Throwing: Maddie is pretty well recovered from a rotator cuff strain that limited her at the start of the HS season, and is back to throwing close to full speed. However, Janelle pointed out that she's over-rotating her shoulders (turning her back to the target too much) that is costing her a little time in her throwing pattern. She doesn't need that much shoulder turn to make a strong throw. She can improve her quickness by shortening her turn (shoulders aligned with target).

Blocking: Admittedly, blocking isn't one of the strongest parts of Maddie's skill set. In practice, she tends to do pretty well. In games, however, she mostly picks, and does a good job with it. When she does block in games, it's pretty poor form. It's a mental thing that she's never really sorted out. In this session, she had a couple where she was off balance and tipping forward, and her mitt was not getting all the way down. She definitely needs more work in this area.

Receiving: Multiple left knee injuries over the years have lead Maddie to developing this slightly tweaked stance with her left heel off the ground and low knee. It's comfortable for her, but a bit off-center, and sometimes leads to less-than-great body and arm positions. Janelle has worked with her on getting into a more symmetrical and centered position in the past, and worked on that again in this session. Maddie still tends to default back to the same kind of tweaked setup.

Any chance you all would consider moving to VA and catching for my DD?😆
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
How far does her right foot travel to replant? Hard to tell without a plate in front. What is the ideal distance for the right foot to replant? I know it is pitch dependent but let assume FB strike outer half of the plate.
 
May 7, 2015
842
93
SoCal
Any video of strong catchers I'm a big fan off. Great for her to get back to it after shoulder injury. I actually like the personalization that catchers put into their receiving stance. The low and left leg/knee down is a very good aesthetic to me. From watching videos over the years that is her nobody on stance, right? Regarding blocking, usually when they tip forward the knees are replacing the feet too far back and the postion is generally not stable. The secondary problem with tipping forward is that if the chest is still moving downwards and forwards at contact with the ball, it is harder to control the bounce. This is something that I'm working with my daughter too, really have the chest still during the block.

love it
 
May 7, 2015
842
93
SoCal
Also forgot to add, it looks like her preference is transition the ball from glove to hand at a level slightly below the throwing shoulder. I tend to think the transfer at the shoulder or a *touch* higher is slightly quicker but honestly when you get to a certain pop time it's more about the accuracy of the throw than it is the speed of the release.
 

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