Research that Inspires Performance and Reduces Injury                                                                                                                                              

Gardy O'Flynn  & Tom House during NPA/RDRBI clinic at USC.        

As we progress through the new millennia, we are experiencing the effects of scientific research and development in many sports that we participate in or enjoy as spectators. Golf, football, track, cycling, snow skiing, and many more have benefited from advancements in research and technology for athletes and their equipment. The lone straggler in this arena is baseball.

Baseball continues to rely on conventional wisdom that has prevailed throughout its 100+ year history. From the pros to youth leagues, baseball is still reliant upon wisdom that has been handed down from generation to generation instead of taking advantage of the opportunity of advances in technology, nutrition, and conditioning. As a result, baseball is experiencing injury rates at an all time high throughout all levels of play.

The Rod Dedeaux Baseball Research Institute (RDRBI), housed at the USC campus, takes advantage of over 40 years of research by Dr. Tom House and the National Pitching Association (NPA) to establish itself as the leader in the field of baseball research. While the NPA is focused primarily on pitchers, the underlying curriculum in the areas of conditioning, nutrition, and the mental/emotional side of the game will be the foundation on which the hitting and fielding curriculums will be founded at RDRBI.

Three-dimensional motion analysis of hitting, pitching and throwing mechanics will enable RDRBI to continue research originated at the NPA to identify high risk areas of injury, as well as improve body mechanics efficiency for optimum performance. The NPA is the vehicle by which the findings at RDRBI are disseminated to the baseball community. 

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