with Marcus Newsom,
Wartburg College Head Coach;
6x United States Track Coaches Association DIII Indoor Womens Coach of the Year;
3x USTFCCCA DIII Outdoor Womens Coach of the Year;
featuring Melissa Norton, Wartburg College Assistant Track & Field Coach, Strength & Conditioning Coach
The Wartburg Track program has grown into a national power under Coach Newsoms watch. Wartburg has won 14 straight indoor womens conference championship titles and nine mens indoor championships. The women have a string of 17 consecutive outdoor titles. The men have won eight league outdoor titles since 2002. In 2009, his womens teams became only the seventh team in NCAA Division III history to sweep indoor and outdoor national titles in the same season, and earned the inaugural Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year award from the USTFCCCA. The program also won the award in backtobacktoback season 201214. The 2012 womens team swept the National Championships and set new alltime meet records in team points in both venues.
In this video, filmed live showing all access footage of two days of Wartburg throws practices, Coach Norton essentially turns one group practice into four or five individual practices within a group setting. She demonstrates eight basic drills for each athlete while instructing them individually. Watching as Norton expertly cues her athletes as they make adjustments across the session from drill to drill is as much of a learning experience as any of the drills she shares!
Norton shows 17 championshipcaliber drills that cover the three key fundamental concepts that can be used to maximize distance. These drills can be used to develop, enhance, and improve:
Drill Progressions
Coach Norton uses a set progression of drills for both the rotational shot and disc throughout the video. By progressing from simple standing throws, through the power position, weighted spins, and finally full throws, you will get a great idea of the framework of each session. The drills that Coach Norton demonstrates can be used to show different aspects of using speed across the ring, balance and coordination to get through the ring, and getting through the ring quickly while under control.
Norton explains why these drills will emphasize good mechanics on the athlete to develop:
Increase Speed and Improve Coordination
In these segments, youll see how athletes use ankle weights to improve coordination and balance as they develop speed through the circle. Later on in practice, Norton also uses lighter implements, enabling her athletes to apply power more easily through the ball, increasing their speed of release.
Identify Common Errors and Mistakes
Throughout the video, Norton identifies common errors that her throwers make and shares her insights on how to adapt her drills and practices to meet their individual needs.
Coach Norton explains that if the athlete can get to the correct power position, work a correct arm strike and left side block, have a continuous motion of right to left foot, and learn to finish high it will give the implement more time in the air and lead to a successful throw.
Improve the distance of your athletes throws today by implementing some of the many ideas, concepts, drills, and, pick up some of the most effective verbal cues used to elevate this team to be among the highestperforming throwers in the country every year!
118 minutes. 2017.