After the final of Midwest Throwdown against Purdue, one thing was very clear about NUT as a team. Perhaps more clear than at any other point I can remember with the program. We are truly awful at throwing. We have maybe two people that are above average throwers in the college game, and no elite throwers at all. Every single player on the field for Purdue was able to complete passes that even our best throwers struggled with. The wind was strong, but not absurd by any measure. The Bruns scale of throwing would put our team average at about a 3 or 4 out of 10. It was that simple. A 15-4 loss comes down to one thing. They didn't have a better gameplan, or better conditioning, they simply were much better throwers top to bottom.
A question that we've been asking ourselves for a while is, how do other teams develop throwers? What do they do that we don't? We haven't found many answers to that. I feel as though we have developed a number of cutters in the past 5-7 years, so it's not impossible to develop skills (obviously). But the only above average throwers we've had have been good throwers coming in, or have spent their own time to get better. None have been a result of what we've done as a program or as leadership. Maybe that's it. Maybe people have to spend their own time and there isn't anything to do specifically as a program. In that case, what we stink at is inspiring people to want to spend their own time to do that.
Either way it is clear that if it is windy at regionals, our season goal will be in jeopardy. It is disheartening to know for multiple years in a row that the biggest problem is throwing, try numerous ways to increase the level, and see virtually no results year after year. Seems to me the only reason we're better than average teams is because of our athleticism and conditioning. Our throws are that of a very low level regional team.
ARC
omg i was thinking about writing a post about how throwers develop too
ReplyDeleteYou got ideas???
DeleteHere's a question: you compare your team's throws to Purdue and how they are much more competent. Do you think they are doing something different or focusing more on throws? I'd say probably not. how about Wisconsin or Minnesota? What's the difference? Just the inherent quality of the athletes joining their team? Maybe amplified when you look at, say, Minnesota or Wisconsin, or Michigan. Maybe a bias in seeing that they have a few great throwers doing a lot of the work? So it looks like they have good throws top to bottom.
ReplyDeleteI agree it's really hard to consistently inspire someone to fall in love with throwing. Sometimes your love for throwing just rubs off and a kid throws a lot and gets good. But its not like you got 20 kids doing that.
First off, I'm honored you read this Zub. Second, That's the thing. I don't know if they're doing something different. I dont think so, but I don't know for sure.
DeleteThe bias due to a few good throwers is an interesting point, and probably true to a certain extent. But dang, it felt like their worst thrower was better than our best.