Posted on March 2, 2023 by S2 Breakthrough

“The most important lesson I learned during my internships was the concept of integration” – Karli Sewell.  What Is Integration In Strength And Conditioning? Integration refers to the process of connecting everything that is being done on the strength floor to the performance on the field. It is about understanding the demands of the sport Read More »

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Posted on March 1, 2023 by S2 Breakthrough

S2 Breakthrough is a data-driven softball player development company seeking a part-time customer experience representative to join its remote team. The position is perfect for someone looking for a flexible schedule, with only 15-20 hours of work per week. The role is for a remote independent contractor position, and the starting pay is $20/hour. In Read More »

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Posted on February 28, 2023 by S2 Breakthrough

As high school softball players prepare for their upcoming season, it’s important to remember the role that training plays in their success on the field. In this video, Karli emphasizes the importance of prioritizing development year-round, even during the season. The Importance of Training During the Season While it’s easy to get caught up in Read More »

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Posted on February 16, 2023 by S2 Breakthrough

As a high school athlete, you know that your competitive season can be long and demanding, from the spring season with your high school team to the summer season with your travel ball team. To make the most of your season and ensure that you stay healthy and energized, it’s important to take a long-term Read More »

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Posted on February 15, 2023 by S2 Breakthrough

What Does Player Development Look Like During In-Season? As a high school athlete, it can be challenging to navigate the transition from the offseason to the start of the competitive season. In a recent video, Ashley highlights some of the common struggles that athletes face during this time and provides valuable tips for staying healthy Read More »

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Posted on February 14, 2023 by S2 Breakthrough

Empowering Softball Players to Reach Their Full Potential S2 Breakthrough is excited to announce the launch of their new podcast, The Bet On Me Podcast. Hosted by Krista Stoker, the Co-Founder of S2 Breakthrough, this show is set to be the ultimate resource for players looking to take their training to the next level. The Read More »

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Posted on January 19, 2023 by S2 Breakthrough

NFCA | Part Two Part two of the S2 On The Road Film Series at NFCA is finally here, and it’s packed with emotion and inspiration. This episode follows Ashley as she takes the main stage, and the team reflects on the last ten years of their journey. The journey of S2 Breakthrough has not Read More »

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Posted on January 11, 2023 by S2 Breakthrough

Bet On Me Coaching Position Look no further than the Bet on Me Coaching position at S2 Breakthrough. This unique opportunity allows coaches to come and work with our team for a short-term period. All while earning a stipend. We believe in coaching in a holistic, data-driven, and integrated system. This approach not only helps Read More »

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Posted on April 22, 2022 by Laura McDonald

One of my very first charges after starting at S2 Breakthrough was the development of an assessment to guide our coaches on how to approach training. We started with taking pieces of established approaches to athlete assessment that, on the surface level, seemed to match what we were seeking. Here’s what I presented at our Read More »

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Posted on April 4, 2022 by S2 Breakthrough

We are so excited to be offering our first annual Collegiate Summer Pitching Program on-site at S2 Breakthrough in Orland Park, IL.  The program will be eight weeks long and athletes will be able to select a start date of their choice beginning on any of the following dates:  5/31, 6/6, and 6/13.  We will Read More »

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Posted on March 28, 2022 by Jordan Richwood

In my soul, I always knew something was missing throughout my playing career. I felt this feeling often, on good days and bad. As much as I loved and still love softball, the gut feeling inside of me kept screaming, “keep going, keep searching.” I never truly quite understood this feeling until recently when I Read More »

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Posted on March 14, 2022 by S2 Breakthrough

I never set out to focus on data-driven softball player development. When Ashley and I formed S2 Breakthrough in 2012, the boldest thing about us was that we 1. were women! 2. took a seasonal focus and 3. offered strength and conditioning. But what drew (and continues to draw) me and Ashley together is our Read More »

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Posted on March 7, 2022 by Karli Sewell

Odds are if you train overhead athletes you have dealt with numerous cases of shoulder pain. No matter the circumstances, minor or major, acute or chronic, our job as performance coaches is to re-establish a baseline of shoulder health.  For overhead athletes, a well functioning kinetic chain is the medium in which shoulder health exists. Read More »

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Posted on March 1, 2022 by Laura McDonald

It’s a story we’ve heard many times here at S2 Breakthrough: an athlete schedules an initial assessment where we review her health history and performance goals. During this review, a parent will recall some version of the following statement: “She was really good at 12U, one of the best pitchers, velocity in the upper 50’s Read More »

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Posted on March 26, 2021 by S2 Breakthrough

We are a few weeks into our educational series on pitching! [Sign up here to join all future weeks, or buy Stream S2 to get access to the first five weeks]. Our goal with this education series all along has been to change the conversation around pitching development, performance, and coaching. We take a very Read More »

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Posted on February 17, 2020 by S2 Breakthrough

An elite softball player must demonstrate superior explosive power by producing force in a very short period of time (e.g. hitting, sprinting for a ball in the outfield). In order for force production to be efficient and maximized, the underlying movements must also be efficient.    We often use the term “elite mover” to describe an Read More »

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Posted on January 30, 2020 by S2 Breakthrough

Our Threshold Assessment was developed specifically for softball athletes to effectively identify a player’s performance potential and build a physical training and development plan uniquely tailored to her. The first step is to perform a health history review. We have adopted and modified the Pre-Participation Exam from our state high school association. Any previous musculoskeletal Read More »

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Posted on January 3, 2020 by S2 Breakthrough

Friday Brain Food is a weekly feature of a research publication, with a summary and key findings provided.  Werner SL, Jones DG, Guido JA, Brunet ME. Kinematics and kinetics of elite windmill softball pitching. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2006;34(4):597–603. doi:10.1177/0363546505281796 Direct link to article Compared to baseball pitching, little information is available regarding Read More »

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Posted on December 19, 2019 by S2 Breakthrough

My (Karli’s) journey through softball was not a linear progression by any means. It wasn’t until my freshman year in high school that my mom opted to send me to a strength coach for individual workouts, which encouraged me to embark down my path in player development. Ultimately, this is what sparked my passion for Read More »

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Posted on November 25, 2019 by S2 Breakthrough

I have loved pitching all of my life. As a young athlete, it taught me to be a leader and a warrior, and now as a coach, wife, mother, business owner, not a day goes by that I’m not grateful for how the circle prepared me for life. When I decided to follow my heart Read More »

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