In The Washington Post, Courtney Semkewyc, Steve Sabins, and Dana Voelker discuss how the Baseball Biomechanics and Performance Center benefits undergraduate students and affects\u00a0the health of Major League Baseball players.<\/p>\n
From the article:<\/p>\n
West Virginia\u2019s staff leverages measurements tracking their subjects to suggest tweaks to their form, redirecting energy away from the parts of their body experiencing the most stress. In turn, pitch and swing velocities increase, lowering cases requiring Tommy John surgery. While other schools improve performance, the Mountaineers want a niche in sustainability.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur [lab] is just better,\u201d jokes Steve Sabins, West Virginia\u2019s 39-year-old baseball coach and the maestro of this experiment. \u201cEveryone can present data; not nearly as many people can tell you what it means. And we translate it for players better than anyone else. We have mad scientists.\u201d<\/p>\n
This approach is led by Semkewyc and her crew. In just two years, they have grown a year-round, daily schedule with sessions serving Little Leaguers to MLB Gold Card members \u2014 and they expect even more MLB stars if a labor dispute delays or scuttles the 2027 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to get better, those are tools that are going to help you get better,\u201d Paul Skenes says. \u201c[They] invested in facilities and coaching. It\u2019s the real deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
But there\u2019s just a bit of data West Virginia doesn\u2019t share with everyone. The \u201cmad scientists\u201d tweaking pro players\u2019 swings and fixing Skenes\u2019s arm?<\/p>\n
They\u2019re college undergrads.<\/p>\n