BUILDING PLAYERS AND TEAMS FROM YOUTH TO PRO
HOW FAST DO YOU
CHANGE THE GAME?
In the game of lacrosse, milliseconds matter
With 10 teammates, 10 opponents, and a 110 x 60-yard lacrosse field, every player uses their brain to process thousands of split-second decisions throughout a 60-minute game.
The speed of how they see, think, and react determines the winners and losers.
S2 quantifies the cognitive skills lacrosse players use – equipping them with insights and tailored training to help them make better, faster decisions on the field.
UNDERSTANDING S2
AND HOW TO USE IT
INSIDE THE MIND OF A HITTER
A voluntary blink of an eye takes about 150 milliseconds. And a 90-mile-per-hour fastball crosses the plate in just three blinks. There's no margin for error in the split-second decisions made, which are the difference between a swing and a miss, a foul ball, or an out. Here is what happens during the process of a pitch...
0–100
MILLISECONDS
Hitters begin processing critical visual details about the ball as it exits the hand – how fast hitters process these details impacts how quickly they recognize the pitch
100–200
MILLISECONDS
Hitters make rapid judgments about the velocity and trajectory of the ball – this processing impacts how well they predict where and when the ball will cross the hitting zone
200–300
MILLISECONDS
Hitters are deciding to commit the swing or to take – the brain activates an inhibition command to stop the impulse to swing OR sends swing timing signals to optimize bat-to-ball contact
300-400
MILLISECONDS
Hitters who have committed the swing can make small swing and timing adjustments to optimize contact – however, hitters will have little chance to check their swing at this point
WHAT IS THE PITCH
PERCEPTION SPEED
IMPULSE CONTROL
TRAJECTORY PREDICTION
WHERE IS IT GOING
WHEN TO SWING
WHETHER TO SWING
TIMING CONTROL
THE SKILLS S2 QUANTIFIES
Perception Speed
How fast do you process the speed of the game?
Spatial Awareness
How well do you see and map out where teammates or defenders are?
Decision Complexity
How fast and effectively do you read and react to the action?
Search Efficiency
How quickly can you scan the field and find your target?
Distraction Control
How well can you stay locked-in?
Instinctive Learning
How quickly do you pick up on opponents’ subtle tendencies?
Tracking Capacity
How well do you see the field and anticipate the action around you?
Impulse Control
How well do you control impulsive reactions?
Improvisation
How quickly can you improvise your play in the moment?
Stats since working with S2 in 2017
Batting Avg.
30%
On-Base Slugging
15%
Well Hit Balls
111%
Chase Rate
26%
LEARN MORE FROM S2
Hear from industry experts on the S2 Podcast, read the latest blog for hot takes on relevant topics, or check out white papers and peer-reviewed articles that dive deeper into the science behind it all.
Charles Volleyball 1 xxx
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 6
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 2
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 3
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 1 xxx
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 4
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 6
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 1 xxx
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 1 xxx
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 4
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 5
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
Charles Volleyball 6
Scott Wylie reveals how MLB teams found S2 Cognition, what the most significant findings are in the MLB, how hitting/pitching coaches are using S2 Cognition's report to develop more efficient drills for players, and how the S2 evaluation can help youth players enhance their recruiting.
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What is the S2 Evaluation?S2 Cognition attempts to quantify split-second reaction times to visual stimuli on a computer screen. The cognitive skills measured by the S2 evaluation are the same cognitive skills engaged on the field, court, or ice. Our evaluation is devoid of racial bias, it does not measure IQ, intelligence or classroom type knowledge, and it cannot be studied for. It requires simple reactions to quick moving visual stimuli on the screen.
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What does my athlete have to do?Athletes sit in front of a laptop computer and engage in reaction time based tasks for 35-45 minutes. This time includes general instructions, specific instructions for each task, and a practice to make sure the athlete understands what we are asking him/her to do. Depending on the sport, there will be 5 to 8 game-like tasks that each take about 4-6 minutes.
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Who gets the results?Only the teams we are under contract within each sport will get the results of the athlete evaluation. Please contact us for a list of the teams.
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How often should I take The S2 Eval?The cognitive skills measured in The S2 Evaluation are very stable over time, especially past the age of 18. At younger ages, some of the skills can change incrementally as your brain develops. We generally recommend re-testing every two years. However, some athletes choose to test once a year so that they can see how they stack up to their peers at each age level or against the top high school or collegiate players. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to get better on the field, not necessarily better on The S2 Eval. The S2 Eval provides a road map for unlocking your invisible edge and targeted training to improve on the field.
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Should I only train my weaker areas, or should I also train my stronger areas?Simply – train both. Train the weaker areas to minimize any negative impact on your performance, and fine tune your stronger areas so that you take maximum advantage of these skills during performance. Working on weaker areas is always more challenging, but also represents the biggest opportunity to improve performance. We caution against setting expectations too high; these cognitive skills take lots of time to move the needle. Keep reminding yourself that small, incremental changes in cognitive performance can have a big impact on the field. Also, don’t neglect your strongest areas. Make sure to work on them and challenge them as much as you can to keep them sharp and tuned for optimal performance.
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What's the best way to train these skills?There are many brain training gadgets, gimmicks, and shortcuts out there that promise to make someone a better hitter in a short time with minimal effort. Unfortunately, very little work on a computer, tablet, or phone screen will “transfer” to better performance on the field. Lots of science shows that the best way to train and improve performance is to practice a particular skill more intentionally in a very similar context as you expect to perform. In other words, the best way to train these cognitive systems is by working them on the field or in the cage in ways that are similar to how they are used during a game. The training context doesn’t have to be perfectly identical to an actual game, but should have a lot of similar features, and drill progressions should always be designed so that you are moving from a context with some similarities to a context that is highly similar to an actual game. At S2, we are big proponents of designing smarter drills for the cage and field that isolate and train split-second decisions. We are also proponents of designing drills that link what you see and decide to what you actually do – that is, train your brain with a bat in your hand rather than with an ipad in your hand. If you want to make faster, better decisions in the batter’s box, you need to approach your hitting drills differently by challenging your decision skills. If you only take batting practice off a machine that throws a constant speed in the same location, don’t expect to become a more selective, disciplined hitter at the plate. In your report and report package are drills and drill concepts to get the ball rolling
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How often should I train these skills?Simply – train both. Train the weaker areas to minimize any negative impact on your performance, and fine tune your stronger areas so that you take maximum advantage of these skills during performance. Working on weaker areas is always more challenging, but also represents the biggest opportunity to improve performance. We caution against setting expectations too high; these cognitive skills take lots of time to move the needle. Keep reminding yourself that small, incremental changes in cognitive performance can have a big impact on the field. Also, don’t neglect your strongest areas. Make sure to work on them and challenge them as much as you can to keep them sharp and tuned for optimal performance.
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How does S2 compare to other player evaluation tests like the Wonderlic?Tests like the Wonderlic measure player IQ. S2 measures how player’s brains function in real-time – how players react and process information in ways that are relevant to their sport. S2 testing data has far more significant correlation to on-field results. Furthermore, S2 Cognition leverages its data to create training programs specific to an athlete’s sport and natural abilities. Evidence of the success of S2’s approach continues to build daily.
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How are other athletes, teams, and coaches using S2?S2 Cognition is currently used by many top professional and collegiate sports organizations to aid in talent evaluation, player development, and improving their schemes around the skillsets of individual athletes. Individual athletes at all levels – from youth to pro – leverage their S2 data to improve their training. Many recent championship-winning players and coaches have attributed S2 as a significant contributor to their program’s success.
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How are professional and college programs using S2 with their players?S2 is being used by top NCAA, MLB, NFL, and MLS teams and programs around the country. The teams not only use S2 in the selection and recruitment decisions, but perhaps more importantly, in how they develop their players. It gives teams the insight they need about why and how each player excels and struggles at the plate and in the field so that they can develop customized training and development plans for each athlete. Teams are using drills developed by S2 and top-level coaches to help their players improve their performance.