Column: Matthew Morrell's hand-eye coordination is out of this world

Matthew Morrell, who is 6 feet 4 and 200 lbs, could have a foreseeable future catching passes in football or utilizing his 92-mph fastball in baseball, but there’s a further sport that gives a clearer illustration of his exceptional hand-eye coordination.

“He’s a freak present of a pingpong player,” baseball coach John Weber claimed. “There’s no one particular who will defeat Matthew.”

Final university year, Austin Overn of Santa Ana Foothill shown the price of being a multi-activity athlete, starring as a receiver in soccer, a standout centre fielder in baseball and running 10.49 seconds for 100 meters in keep track of. Now he’s at USC.

Morrell, who is committed to Oregon Point out for baseball, has the same type of actual physical and psychological make-up that can assistance him reach a very similar outcome. He has helped direct Cypress to a 3- begin in football. He has 16 receptions for 278 yards and a few touchdowns.

“I’ve grown up playing all sports activities,” he stated. “I experience that is great. They all come alongside one another and use selected movements. My dad pushed me to test everything. I’ll see at the following amount what’s the greatest solution for me and my household.”

He surely has the pace to run away from defenders, and his means to make catches any where and all over the place has coaches utilizing the phrase “acrobatic” to very best explain him.

A 7 days ago, he went over a defender to pinch the ball on the defender’s back again, then pulled it up around the defender’s head to secure the capture.

“His acrobatic knack is crazy for sure,” Weber stated.

Mentioned Morrell: “I like almost everything about receiver. Running routes is like an art variety. I’m fascinated how to run routes. I like demonstrating my athleticism running, jumping, earning excellent catches.”

In baseball, Morrell was a much better outfielder than pitcher previous period for the reason that of his wildness on the mound. Of course, he throws challenging, but has discovered to pitch for Cypress. Throwing far more strikes and getting improved command has been his offseason emphasis to acquire the belief of the coaching team to pitch in large games.

Some may well have overlooked about Morrell this summertime for the reason that he disappeared. He injured his hip fielding a bunt in June, forcing him to pass up 7-on-7 football tournaments and baseball showcases. He arrived again wholesome for the begin of August football tactics.

There’s no telling what he’s able of carrying out. In a soccer activity very last year in opposition to Tustin, he ran for 121 yards and just one touchdown, passed for 119 yards and two touchdowns and caught 3 passes for 59 yards. He also can punt.

“He’s a specific athlete,’’ soccer mentor Rick Feldman stated.

Weber offers him an endorsement off the discipline: “If you had a daughter, you’d want her to day him. He’s a excellent kid.”

Morrell remembers how many lovers grew to become excited final time looking at Overn display what a multi-activity athlete could execute.

“That guy is a crazy athlete, looking at him perform soccer, monitor and baseball,” he reported. “He could do it all and it was so great to observe. He experienced every person cheering him due to the fact you never see it every single working day.”

Morrell has Cypress followers oohing and aahing, and they haven’t even viewed him in pingpong. He owns his very own paddle, which is a warning itself.

“I’m quite good,” he claimed. “I used to participate in when I was more youthful each working day. It sort of comes straightforward to me.”