Abstract:
The goal of this section will be to demonstrate the knowledge obtained throughout the Masters of Science in Coaching and Exercise Science course as well as shed light onto the complexity of what the body goes through during athletic movements. The articles in this portfolio will discuss in great detail the topics relating to: the overhand throwing motion and its relationship to kinesiology and biomechanics, the gut and its relationship to the brain, hamstring injury and recovery as well as an article about rotational athletes and the effect on the body. The portfolio will use student articles and scientific journals as resources for accuracy. After reading through this portfolio one should understand: the kinetic sequencing of each phase of the overhand throwing motion, the forces acting upon the body during the throwing motion, gut micro biome and how it affects us, as well as how our body is affected by the movements of baseball specifically.
Further Introduction:
The game of baseball is evolving, moving quicker than ever into the technological age. Collecting data, analyzing movement, decoding the body and scientific approaches are being used to understand how the game and its players can be improved. No longer is it acceptable to sit back and dismiss the technological advances as fads that will fade away. If coaches want to keep up and grow within the industry they need to be willing to learn new tricks and understand all of the hows and whys of this complex game.
It has been seven years since I played my last collegiate game and in that time the landscape of not only professional but collegiate baseball has changed tremendously. We were lucky if our program had a video camera let alone the software and coaches with the technical know how to break down our footage. Today the college that I coach, which is a small school, has cameras, iPads, Rapsodo pitch design soft/hardware and a staff of coaches that know what to do with it all. In fact, every player on our team has a smart phone with an incredible camera and the ability to download a free app that makes breaking down their footage easy. The technological revolution has come and it is here to stay!
With the ability to acquire, catalog and access data it has become increasingly more important to understand what is being recorded and how it actually applies to the game and to the individual. If the data is taken and misunderstood then no one will benefit and it can even lead to injury. Because of this I decided to get a Master in Science in Coaching and Exercise Science. I wanted to not only have access to limitless data but understand what it means, how it can be applied and eventually contribute to it. To be more specific, I wanted to expand on my original kinesiology degree in order to fully understand every aspect of the body as it applies to baseball specific movements. The more in depth I understand the anatomical, biomechanical and physiological components of my athletes the easier it will be for me to apply the data in a digestible manner.
This portfolio is a collection of research papers and movement analyses designed to broaden my understanding of the human body and what it goes through during baseball specific movements. The overhead throwing motion, gut health and its relation to the brain and a specific injuries rehabilitation will all be talking points. The hope is that through this portfolio I will succinctly wrap up my MS program in a contiguous and easily digestible fashion.