On December 17^th, Coaches Ryan Mullaney and Rod Robison set out with 14 football athletes on a whirlwind adventure across the Western suburbs of Denver to just above the continental divide, called BOOTCAMP!  ProspectFit launched its 1^st boot-camp training that consisted of a myriad of workouts over a 5 day period that took them from the Shaffer indoor facility in Littleton, CO to the plateau’s of Red Rocks Amphitheatre to the snowy covered terrain of Bethroud Pass in the Rocky Mountains.  Workouts included 2 PowerBlaster circuits that were made up of 30 exercises each; 128 rows and 80 minute workouts on the bleachers of Red Rocks Amphitheatre which included wheelbarrows, piggy-backs, lunges, quick feet and standing jumps along with other items; and a hike in over a foot of fresh powder from 11,000ft ascending up to 12,500ft at a 40% grade in blizzard like conditions.  Not only did they climb it once but 4 times, the boys did enjoy their rides down the 1500ft incline in whichever mode they chose, some used snowboards and tubes which they had carried along the way and some even chose to slide down by just sitting in the fresh snow.  Coach Mullaney stated “if you cry you’ll be in serious trouble out here… and not by the coaches” as the players pushed each other to go farther and harder.  The ascension was by far the toughest mentally pushing them to the brink but changed the psyche of the 14 athletes however also seemed to be the biggest hit with the players in the end.

Zybek Sports graciously donated 4 PowerBlaster machines and all timing equipment for the 5 indoor speed and agility tests during the 5 day camp.  The camps consisted of not only Coaches Mullaney & Robison  but also  QBA quarterbacks; Jerry Slota, Alex Fricke and Austin Ihm as well as ProspectFit member Trent Butler that each had a team of players from across the country to guide and lead throughout their journey.  As exhausted and beat as  they were there was an overwhelming response from the players by the end of the camp, surprisingly they didn’t want to leave. “My son does not want to leave. He wants to stay here and workout all year long. I’ve never seen him so motivated and so touched by anything in my life” stated one mom when picking up her son.

ProspectFit plans to host multiple boot-camps each year going forward.  Keep an eye out for the next boot-camp at www.ProspectFit.com.

While reading the article, The Pursuit of the Perfect Throwing Motion by David Flemming http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=fleming/100421 I was intrigued by some of the things he learned from his study.  In particular, he discovered throwing the football is the most complex motor skill in all of sports.  With most exercise scientists and kinesiologists agreeing, more people are finding out what most coaches have known for quite some time.  Changing a quarterbacks throwing motion is challenging and can be flat out intimidating.

Once most people come to this conclusion there tends to be two schools of thought as it relates to changing quarterback throwing mechanics.

1. It’s all about the footwork (the feet are what throw the ball)

2. You can’t change a quarterbacks mechanics (he can either throw or he can’t)

This is the dilemma I found myself in as a coach five years ago after getting upset in the first round of the playoffs.   Having to watch a very talented sophomore quarterback struggle with his mechanics that season pushed me to a path of pursuit on how to teach the perfect throwing motion.  As I began my research through clinics, DVD’s, books, college visits, and local guru’s, I had compiled a list of coaching points like, “Stand tall, step small”; “Flick the booger of the finger”;  “Pick the dollar out of the left pocket”;  “Turn the key”; “Answer the phone with ball”; “Crush pebbles with your feet” ; “Slap the wall”; “ watch how Brady, Montana, or Elway throw” and the list goes on and on.  At the end of it all I was left with a myriad of different philosophies and techniques and the same conclusions that Flemming had in his article.  As a result, I had almost submitted my belief on throwing mechanics to one of the two prevailing schools of thought.  It wasn’t until I came across a 3 DVD set on Passing Mechanics by Darin Slack that I knew that I had finally found someone who had cracked the code on how to teach and train the most complex motor skill in all of sports.   He was explaining the “Why” behind every motion and drill.  He was backing every movement up with science and biomechanics.  I felt like I had just discovered gold.  I no longer had to submit to the two schools of thought on mechanics and what I didn’t believe to be true.  After 5 years of coaching quarterbacks at Jenks High School and working for the Darin Slack Quarterback Academy here is what I have learned as it relates to the two prevailing schools of thought:

1. It’s all about the footwork (the feet are what throw the ball)

It seemed when I first started my pursuit of learning how to throw the football that everywhere I turned most coaches only focused on the feet.  Most of the material I came into contact with stated that the feet are what throw the ball.  My struggle with this concept stemmed from two pictures in my mind…a picture of a man with no arms and another picture of a man with no legs.  If the feet are what throw the ball then how does a man without legs throw?  At the NFL combine, Tim Tebow clocked a 4.7 forty time, 4.17 pro agility time, and a 38.5 inch vertical.  If I submit to the school of thought that footwork is the key to consistent power, accuracy, and velocity then Tebow should be the best pure passer coming out of the draft.   Yet he is the most scrutinized, Why?  In Flemming’s  article he states,  “Throwing the football well is not about doing one or two big things great. Instead, it’s about perfecting a thousand different parts of an intricate, complicated kinetic chain that starts in the toes and ends at the finger tips.” Through Flemmings article I am finding that people are starting to discover what I found through a set of 3 DVD’s 5 years ago.   Throwing a football is more than mastering footwork; it’s about mastering the sequential movements in the kinetic chain through the entire throw.    If I only focus on footwork I am only focusing on half of the kinetic chain. What about the other half?  I go back to the picture with the man with no legs.  What does he use to throw the football?  It is his arm.  If the arm is the mechanism that throws the ball then wouldn’t it be important to understand how this mechanism controls proper ball flight?  To overcome the arm issue a quarterback must understand the 4 key positions of the arm motion in the kinetic chain.  (To demonstrate we will use Peyton Manning on the left and Jenks QB Sawyer Kollmorgen on the right)

1.  Pre Pass Triangle-the kinetic chain in the arm starts in the Pre Pass Triangle position.   With the elbows level at the base and a loaded wrist in the “cocked” position off the back shoulder,  the triangle shape provides for a powerful position to launch the football.  If the body was going to throw a punch it would load the arm instinctually in the same position.  The Pre Pass Triangle position reduces tendency to internally rotate (wind up) on the throw, aligns arm in a power position, and reduces wasted motion for faster a faster release.

2.  “L” Transistion-is the next position in the kinetic chain during the throw.  The move to this position is done by using the 4 rotator cuff muscles that surround the scapula.  The infrasprinatus and teres minor externally rotate the arm back into the “L” position.  When the arm is in the “L” position it elongates the suprasprinatus and subscapularis which allow the muscles to accelerate the elbow to the lead position.

3. Elevate to “Zero”-is the lead position the elbow has to be in to support the wrist. You may have heard coaches say “get the elbow up”.  The elbow only needs to go high enough to get over and ahead of the shoulder on the throw.   The smoothness and efficiency of this move is the key to consistent power and accuracy on a throw.  With the loading of the suprasprinatus and subscapularis muscles in the “L” position the elbow can now elevate and move ahead of the shoulder aided by the deltoid to get to “Zero”.  “Zero” is orthopedic term given to the elbow in the lead position because the rotator cuff muscles are neutral with no strain on them.  The “Zero” position places the elbow 6 inches ahead of the shoulder 45 degrees up and out and loads the tricep in a position to fire the ball down the target hallway.

4. Extension- is the kinetic chain of power that occurs as the tricep fires energy up through arm and out through the wrist/fingers into the ball.  If the wrist fires early before the tricep the kinetic chain is out of order and the ball will sail or wobble.  A quarterback that pulls down on the football does not extend and therefore is not getting the full benefit of the tricep.   When trying to understand the power of extension on a throw, think of the difference between a pistol and a sniper rifle. Which one is more accurate and can shoot the bullet further?  The sniper rifle.   Why?  It has a longer barrel that allows the force and spin to act longer on the bullet which in turn puts more accuracy and velocity in the bullet as it comes out of the barrel.

When a coach and a quarterback get on the same page and understand the (How’s and Why’s) behind the most complex motion in all of sports it provides for a drastic advantage on the playing field.  However, getting your quarterback to understand the concepts of throwing mechanics will not support a change on its own, which leads us to the second school of thought.

2. You can’t change a quarterbacks mechanics (he can either throw or he can’t)

There are many coaches who know way more than I do about football  that have said you can’t change or quarterbacks throwing motion.  I have even heard some say to stay away from the quarterbacks arm entirely.  I have always struggled with this.  If I am in the weight room and I see a kid with 315 pounds on the squat rack and he has he is leaning over at the waist with his chest down and a curved lower back am I going to not try to fix him?  The argument could be made that teaching a proper squat is easier than teaching the most complex motion in all of sports.  But just because teaching a proper throw is more difficult does it mean that I am pardoned of having to teach it at all?  Maybe it just means that I need to put more effort into knowing my craft.   The key to changing any motion (especially the most difficult) is knowing how a quarterback learns to throw.  Most quarterbacks learn to throw by picking up a football at a young age and just chunking it.  This is called implicit learning.  Implicit learning is learning in the absence of proper instruction.  While learning to throw implicitly allows for a fluid motion it tends to produce bad mechanics.  The other type of learning is called explicit learning.  This is learning with proper instruction.  This type of learning focuses on the non-negotiables or rules of the task.  While learning to throw explicitly allows a quarterback to know all the( how’s and why’s) of throwing a football it tends to produce a mechanical and choppy motion.  This is the point where a coach becomes frustrated and gives up submitting to the second school of thought… you can’t change mechanics.  The secret to changing mechanics is in the power of a process and the formula is the hinge pin of The Quarterback Academy by Darin Slack.

In order to produce lasting change you have to take a quarterback and teach

him the non-nogotiables (how’s and why’s).  Next, you build a battery of drills that isolate each mechanic and then build each drill sequentially on the previous mechanics (process).  Then you rep the movements  over and over until you are feeling the move instead of thinking about it.  Instead of muscle memory we call it the power of informed feel.  When a quarterback learns the (how’s and why’s) combined with the feel he now has the ability to Self-Correct, not Self-Destruct….advantage Offense.  To learn more about throwing mechanics and quarterback play come to a camp or visit www. quarterbackacademy.com.

Trey Wheeler is entering his senior year at Liberty High School, a consistent competitor of the upper tier of the 3A division along with a 2^nd place finish in the State Championship in 2009.  As Trey enters his last year of high school football he definitely has his sights set on that title for 2010.  Liberty will begin their season on September 3^rd facing the reigning 4A State Champions, Bellevue High School. 

In his off-season Trey has spent his time at many camps, clinics and tournaments including QBA camps and competing in the Washington All-Star 7v7 Tournament perfecting his skills to help him reach that title game in 2010 and to help him solidify an offer from an NCAA school.  He seems to be headed in the right direction as earlier this summer Wheeler received his first offer, Wyoming.  Trey has not yet accepted his offer until he has a chance to visit the school and potentially see what else comes his way but one thing is for sure, his hard work and dedication to the game has paid off.

Coach and Director or Operations for QBA, JC Boice has had the privileged of working with Trey and is sure wherever he ends up that they will get a great quarterback.  “Trey is just flat out one of the most focused kids I know and his preparation reflects in his game.  He is just always a gamer when it really counts”, says Boice. 

Not only has Trey been participating in the QBA camps since the 7^th grade, he is also one of the original athletes to join in the ProspectFIT program that specializes in training and development of upper echelon high school players to get to the next level.  Coach Boice on Wheeler’s progress:

“Trey really represents the growth in our company.  Even at the early age he was very driven to become a great football player and we realized we needed to provide a complete development track for taking a young athlete like Trey and advance them to assist in achieving their goals.” 

Along with many others, Trey’s accomplishments have proven the program highly successful. 

“Trey is one of the first of many QBs coming through our development system that are not only great QB’s but great young men.”

And on September 3^rd when the 2010 season begins for this Senior, those remaining schools that still have Wheeler on their recruiting boards will get to see just how great he can be.  QBA congratulates Trey on his first offer from Wyoming and of all there is to come for him.

Image Courtesy of NUCfootball.com

Monroe, Louisiana—   Steven Fitzhugh, head coach at Ouacita Christian School, adopted QBA’s C4 mechanics last year, and the quarterbacks in his system are producing eye-catching numbers and victories as a result.

As an experienced head coach (12 years at Ouachita Christian) and former college player (linebacker at Harding University), Fitzhugh knows football.  His experience allowed him to see value in Darin Slack’s 2009 clinic presentation in Houston, Texas.

Fitzhugh returned to Louisiana and promptly committed all the QB’s in his program to C4 mechanics.  “We took six kids ranging from age 11 to 17 and they all came away from the camp
with a greater understanding of the mechanics of throwing the football as well as a better understanding of the game.  I was extremely pleased” Fitzhugh said.

Last year, the quarterbacks at Ouachita Christian validated Fitzhugh’s perspective:

Junior Paul Michael Garner earned 1st team All State honors, throwing for over 2,200 yards and 27 TD’s.

Freshman Braden Bristo produced over 120 yards of total offense and 2 TD’s per game, guiding Ouachita Christian to their first undefeated JV season in over a decade.

8th grader Quinn Graves led his team to a 9-1 record, throwing for 1,349 yards and 18 TD’s.  His outstanding play resulted in an invitation to the FBU 8^th Grade Youth All-American game in San Antonio.

7th grader John Randall Bennett set records for passing yards and touchdowns.  He threw for 1,710 yards and 17 TD’s in 10 games leading his team to an 8-2 record.

5th grader Grant Fitzhugh’s team went undefeated and lost in Super Bowl.

These gaudy numbers have helped other team members receive recognition:

Sophomore wide receiver Mark Laird earned 1^st team All-State honors.  His 54 receptions resulted in 1,117 yards and 14 TD’s.

Fitzhugh believes in the value of QBA’s system.  “[The] self-correction tips diffuse the frustration between QB’s and their coaches and allow them to talk about the correction and make proper adjustments” he said.  “We plan on being involved with QBA for years to come”.

2009 Season Awards:

• All- State
• District All-Star
• Academic All-State
• Conference MVP and All-Conference
• Team MVP
• Tristatefootball.com Preseason and Postseason All- Tristate Nominee
• Tristatefootball.com Player of the Week
• Indianascout.com Top 25 Player in the State
• Scout.com and Rivals.com Two Star Player

School Records:

• Most TD passes in a season (he also ran for 15 TDs)
• Most TD passes in a career
• Highest completion percentage in a season (with average completion of 22 yards)
• Lowest interception percentage in a season

Connor trains at QBA and is a college mentor for our Camp program.