NECC Warner Robins Road Trip Review

[moe]

I had the opportunity to take DD, a teammate and a friend to the NECC WR camp this past weekend. Long drive from VA, but overall worth the experience.

Many people here are quite familiar with the camps and clinics, so going into too much detail is probably a waste. I will however go over a couple things...

The good -
Everything they teach, every move and word is based in FACT and science. One of the most contested part of Jay's training is the position of the hand with runners on. His reasoning was sound and easy to accept. The more I thought about it, and watched the kids throw, most keep their hand protected and slightly behind the glove anyway! Even for simple throwing warmups! It is simply quicker...

The FIX IT BEFORE YOU pause in the drills is perfect use of how the brain works...if you walk away without fixing it...your brain thinks you did it right.

The addition of Austin's high level throwing. REinforced what my daughter has been working on. By someone other than her dad.

the good, but not as good -
NOT ENOUGH TIME! So much to learn...but for the price, the amount of time was awesome.

Would love a few more minutes for the girls to keep working on thrown to third footwork around a RH batter, and footword for sliding home tag and pop up. Was gone over though.

Would love added to the clinic (for the older kids at least) -
Pop -time measurement. Reason I say that is they are reputable and I feel their numbers would be more readily accepted.

Overhand throw speed measurement - same reasoning as pop time measurement.

THE BAD -
I fear so much of what they teach will be undone. Many parents were talking about that...that conversation they seem to always have to have with their kids coaches. My DD's teammate doesnt have a mouth filter and I cant wait till she blurts out.."COach Jay thinks wrist flicks are stupid..." I would love to be there to hear that...lol

Overall great clinic. Enjoyed my conversations with Jay. DD will be attending his summer camp in NH.

Moe

 

[sb03dad]

Everything you listed as additions to make this great, are all part of the Summer Camp in NH. For those that can make it, Summer camp is the bomb. It's the catching Jedi camp, with more of Jay's padawans on hand.

Unlike the summer camp, this camp at Warner Robins was predominantly fastpitch. The older group had 15 young ladies and 6 young men (one cute one according to DD).

We've been to two Summer camps (not bragging ), and then the camp at Warner Robins. With each camp, I know I've learned just a little bit more. Not sure about DD, but she's always the first to correct me when I contradict something Coach Jay teaches. There are times when DD realizes she had done something wrong and will yell out "FIX IT" before moving on. For those that have been to camp, you have heard "FIX IT" a time or two.

I found myself looking at some vid I took of DD from the fall as Jay went through each topic. It helped me to understand why something happened (ball sailing when the throw down looked on point, ball squirting through the legs when the block was dropped quickly, etc.).

The road trip camps are great refreshers for former campers. But they're also great introductions to NECC. Jay is easy to approach and have a conversation with. I like his confidence.

 

[bemberrry]

We were at this camp as well. And I'll have to echo everything said above. It was hands down the best camp my child has ever attended. Specifically for the technical aspects of it. And the step by step way in which Jay, Kevin, and Mason taught and then FIXED, before moving on. I took about 5 pages of notes (lol) so maybe I'll be able to continue what NECC has taught her until we get the opportunity to go again.

The Wasserman stuff, has definitely added even more to NECC's already high level concepts. I have been working with my daughter on Wasserman techniques for a few months and there is already a world of difference. Kudo's to Jay for continuing to study and integrate the highest level catching and throwing techniques out there.

sb03dad, based on your comments above, I think I might have spoken to you before your last session of the weekend, and after our last session. Good talking to you, albeit brief. Hopefully we can make it up to NH for the Summer Camp one day soon. I hear it is unbelievable. Good luck to your daughter this Spring/Summer, maybe we'll see you around.

 

[sb03dad]

bemberry,

Yes, you did. If your DD takes in everything she learned at this camp, she'll do well in the tournament we talked about.

Definitely, try to get up to NH for the summer camp.

 

[bemberrry]

sb03dad,

Thanks for the feedback. I hope she will. She's improving every day. We haven't ventured into the level of comp we'll see there yet, but based on the concepts she's been learning, I think she'll do well. Good luck to your daughter as well. As much as she's been exposed to NECC already, I'm sure she's a beast.

 

[bemberrry]

Since there is some discussion in this post about NECC's concepts in general.......

I sent Jay an email a couple of days ago, but he hasn't had a chance to get back to me yet (snow's probably keeping him from getting back to NH from GA .... so I'll ask it here.....

Regarding throwing hand position and movement during the runners on stance.....

What is the "cue" on when to pull the hand back to the chest protector? (i.e. - do you always pull it back during the pitch in runners on, or do you try to see that nobody is stealing before you pull it back, and always leave it behind your glove if someone is stealing?)

And, when you do pull it back to your chest....... Do you always pull it back to your upper "catching arm" side, regardless of pitch location? Or do you try to pull it back to your chest in the shadow/behind your mitt based on where the pitch location is?

 

[guero_gordo]

Going to steal Chaz's video to answer this. If DD was here, I'd quiz her.
Good slow mo at the end.

Protecting Your Throwing Hand

BTW, I used to think of moving the hand to the chest as automatic, but I noticed when processing pic's of DD last week that after years of NECC work, she has picked up the bad habit of hovering it like the cringeworthy MLB C at the beginning, so you really have to guard against this. Guessing it's a balance thing where the hand feels good there in a hideously exposed position.

Hope this helps.