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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
There is a huge emphasis on bringing athleticism back into the pitching motion (much like some of the earliest pitchers), and a move away from purely mechanical delivery. There are plenty of examples of the quick, powerful athleticism of the short stop where he has to stoop, scoop, and rocket a ball with precision to first base from any angle. That right there was a huge light-bulb for my son, who has relied upon his mechanics to get him through the awkwardness and uncoordination of a massive growing streak (he’s 13, but almost 6’2”).
Jonathan’s delivery had become “technically proficient” but lacked power and velocity. In fact, Wolforth and Strom went so far as to say he looked “over-trained”. You know what? That was really hard to hear (after thousands of dollars worth of training), but 100% correct. Jonathan had lost his ability to translate his natural athleticism into power on the mound. I could SEE him almost clicking through his pitching motions – it was plain as day! He’s a good pitcher, but he wants to be GREAT.
That was what we got out of the first few hours of camp! Hard lesson – sure. But absolutely necessary for growth.
Let me go through some of the elements that stick out in my mind from the camp:
As a 13 year old, my son was in a group with 13-15 year olds – and some 16s. That was great for him to ante up his performance. Jonathan got to work out with more experienced pitchers, and it made him “play up”.
Also on the first day, he was videoed and his group gathered with Coach Brent Strom (pitching coach in the Cardinals organization) in the shed to view and critique his pitch. Depending on your son’s emotional discipline, this can be a toughie. My son came out of there pretty sheepish and said, “Well, it looks like I can only get better at this point, ‘cuz I can’t get any worse.” He didn’t mope because he knows that this is very real world. This is what happens in HS and college. It really galvanized my son to pay attention and soak up as much as he could. Wolforth told them “If you want to be good, adjust. If you want to be GREAT, adjust quickly.” Conversely, I could see it kick the stuffing out of boys who were less mentally prepared. This was no time for them to get sullen about their “style” - this is their chance to adjust QUICKLY.
Let me put it this way: it was the first time my son SAW himself pitch in hi-def, slo-mo. It was a huge eye-opener. He now knows what it looks like when his post leg collapses and his hands break late. Those details are something he’s been working on for MONTHS, and he couldn’t put it together until he saw himself for the first time. INVALUABLE lesson. A critical piece of the puzzle for my son and absolutely crucial to moving on.
During this camp, there is a heavy, constant emphasis on strength and agility. This includes core strength and overall endurance – in other words, total athleticism. The boys get a complete work out each day, and it takes up a lot of time. All along the way, they are instructed in each workout and how it relates to pitching and why that exercise is significant. My son is used to working out with a physical trainer, so this aspect of the camp was not intimidating or overwhelming for him. For some boys, who were physically out of shape, this was a back-breaker. They were pretty worn out, but in a good way. There’s nothing like a solid day of hard work to make a boy feel like a man (as my husband likes to say).
There are a lot of new drills to learn. Some are easy to duplicate at home as we’ve discovered. Others require additional equipment and space we just don’t have. What’s important is that the drills are measurable. Once a starting point is defined, it is easy to track progress. Therein lies their effectiveness. Everything at camp is measured. As Wolforth put it, “If you want to improve something, measure it.” I subscribe to this method, as I’ve always told my son “If you don’t know where you’re at, you can’t get where you’re going.” You get the idea. The idea is to make each boy compete against himself, to monitor his progress, and constantly improve.
They were also instructed in mound strategies and pitch count strategies. My son loved this. This was nothing CLOSE to what he’d gotten from playing on various teams – even at the Select level. This will add a whole dimension of performance to anyone’s pitching, and will definitely put him ahead of his peers.
I know that Wolforth and Strom are known as the “speed ‘em up guys”, and to an extent, they are. They will teach your son “higher, further, faster” in his mechanical efficiency. Much of the fitness emphasis is based upon their belief that a pitcher needs to make himself more stable, then more EXPLOSIVE. That has a lot more to do with core strength than balance. No one powers up from a delicately balanced position, they derive their power from physical efficiency. “The body will organize itself based on the ultimate goal of the activity.” Your son will hear that a lot throughout the weekend. That means there is no place for 50% warm-ups. Each activity is designed for maximum effort – to push a pitcher into all-around excellence as an athlete.
Now, lest some of this sounds too intense, I need to interject that all along the way the boys are encouraged and emboldened. Wolforth is very friendly and approachable – he’s not a hard-ass. But he figures that the boys are there because they have the desire to go to the next level. He doesn’t patronize them, and he expects them to kick it up a notch, every single time. He makes good use of the examples like Michael Jordan, Arnold Palmer, and Roger Clemens. All in all, very inspirational.
Bottom line: I recommend this camp most highly. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions. I’ve invested in the six-camp package. We attended one in December, one in February, one in June, and one in July. My son can’t wait to get back, and neither can I. I hope to meet you there.
Accomodations
| Lodging | Close enough (15-30 mins.) • Friendly to teams • Breakfast included • Clean & comfortable • Affordable |
| Restaurants | Near-by (under 10 mins.) |
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| Overall rating: |
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4.7 |
| Cost : |
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4.0 |
| Value: |
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5.0 |
| Overall Experience: |
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5.0 |
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