bby paul steinbachy paul steinbach

With more waysthan ever to gather

stats and breakdown plays,electronic

advances arerevolutionizing

how coaches worksidelines and

meeting rooms.

Remember when afootball team’s game-

day entourage included indi-viduals whose sole duty was

to shadow coaches with ahandful of headset cable, reeling

in slack and letting it back out asthe coach paced the sidelines? You’d

be hard-pressed to find a cable guy onthe field these days.How about videographers perched on rickety

scaffolding assembled alongside the practice field?They, too, are a rare sight. As are assistant coaches or

team managers toiling with pencil and paper as theycompile game statistics, or with scissors and file folders

when editing game film. The assignments are the same, butthe ways in which they are executed are changing.

By Paul SteinbachBy Paul Steinbach

With more waysthan ever to gather

stats and breakdown plays,electronic

advances arerevolutionizing

how coaches worksidelines and

meeting rooms.

E Q U I P M E N T & C O M P O N E N T SE Q U I P M E N T & C O M P O N E N T S

AB DEC-technology 11/11/02 3:22 PM Page 51

68Y E A R S

S C O R E B O A R D C O M P A N Y

C A L L T O L L F R E E

N E V C O

8 0 0 . 8 5 1 . 4 0 4 0

w w w . n e v c o s c o r e b o a r d s . c o m

COUNT ON US

© 2

002,

NEV

CO S

CORE

BOAR

D CO

MPA

NY

V A L U E W H A T C O U N T S

Set your priorities on what counts. In scoreboards, that’s Nevco. Value the built-to-last craftsmanship. The do-anything-for-youservice. The integrity and quality our competition can’t deliver. Value what counts.

LED Model 2550-D (Indoor)

Coaches at all levels of organized com-petition are finding it easier to conducttheir business, thanks to technologicaladvances applicable to the sidelines andteam meeting rooms. Several of the mostsignificant breakthroughs have emergedonly within the past 10 years.

Of critical importance to the success ofany football coach is his ability to

communicate, not only with players, butwith members of his staff. At the highschool level and higher, staff communica-tion during games is facilitated by a net-work of headsets connecting the head

coach to assistants who may be stationedhundreds of feet away behind the win-dows of a press box.

Headset communications can take theform of push-to-talk systems, which func-tion much like walkie-talkies — to speak,the user pushes a button on a belt pack;to listen, the user releases the button. Forcoaches who don’t wish to be fumblingalong their waistline for a button to pushin the heat of battle, belt packs are avail-able with an extension cord that placesthe button on a small remote device thatrests comfortably in the coach’s hand atall times.

Another type of headset, which hasgained greatly in popularity since themid-1990s, eliminates button-pressingaltogether. It features an open line ofcommunication using either spread-spec-trum technology, in which frequenciesare selected randomly during communi-cation, or set-frequency technology.Whereas the push-to-talk system uses asingle frequency to transmit communica-tion between belt packs, open-line com-munication requires two frequencies tobe in constant use — one to transmit andone to receive. That’s what allowscoaches to interrupt each other duringtwo-way communication, much like twoindividuals conversing over a phone line.Communication signals can be transmit-ted between coaches’ belt packs orthrough a base station in the press box,which receives messages before sendingthem out to each headset. For thosecoaches who are particularly protectiveof their strategies, digital systems arenow available that encrypt messages,making them practically impossible tointercept.

Often, five headsets will be enough tooutfit a high school coaching staff, with asmany as a dozen preferred by college andNFL staffs. In the five-headset high schoolscenario, four headsets would be distrib-uted among offensive and defensive spot-ters positioned in the press box andoffensive and defensive coaches on thefield, with the fifth headset reserved forthe head coach. Systems may feature two-channel capability, allowing the headcoach to flip a switch on his belt pack inorder to talk exclusively to either hisoffensive coaches or his defensive staff.He may periodically instruct the offensivecoaches to switch over to the defensivechannel, or vice versa, so that the entirecoaching staff can communicate in aparty-line format.

The cost of each type of system variesby the number of coaches included in thecommunications loop, but a dual-fre-quency, open-line system is typicallytwice as expensive as the single-fre-quency, push-to-talk system. Coacheswho don’t wish to concern themselveswith buttons and switches can still opt forthe cable system, which is less expensivethan either wireless system.

Once the game is over, coaches mustreview the outcome using statistical

data and videotape. Likewise, they willreview the videotaped games of upcom-ing opponents, logging their plays individ-ually to allow for detailed analysis ofstrengths, weaknesses, and play-callingtendencies in specific game situations.

Computers have revolutionized howgame footage is broken down. Twenty-fiveyears ago, coaches spent a good share oftheir weekend cutting 16-mm film intoshort segments by hand, filing plays infolders categorized as “offensive,” “defen-

CIRCLE 48 ON REPLY CARD52 ATHLETIC BUSINESS December 2002 www.athleticbusiness.com


sive” and “special teams,” then finally splicing thesegments together into separate loops to bereviewed by category. Linear video editing usingmultiple VCRs to record only certain plays fromone tape to another was the next step, but as itsname suggests, this process still required editorsto rewind or forward through entire tapes to findthe desired segment of footage.

Though linear systems are still used today, digi-tal editing represents the current state of the art.Video images recorded by either digital or analogcameras can be downloaded onto a computer’shard drive using software designed specifically forsports editing. The software allows coaches totype plays into an on-screen table, including suchdetail as down and distance, ball carrier, yardsgained or lost, whether the play tookplace in the red zone and whether apenalty occurred. The completed tablecan be sorted and resorted by whateverdetails have been logged, and the coachcan at any point access the specific playsor types of plays he wants to see. If hewants to assess how his offense per-formed in third-and-long situations, everythird-and-long play is instantly organizedto be viewed in succession. If he wants tojump from Play 28 on the log to Play 3, hecan do so as quickly as selecting a musi-cal track on a CD player. “A lot of coacheswill tell you, ‘I’m unpredictable. I don’t dothe same thing twice,’ ” says BarryBryant, marketing manager for CoachComm, an Auburn, Ala.-based manufac-turer of sideline communications andvideo editing equipment. “When he startsplugging his data in there, he’ll see thathe does the same things a lot. It’s prettyamazing.”

The video images can be viewed on thecomputer monitor or outputted to TVscreens, projectors or recorders, with the latterallowing customized tapes to be made for distribu-tion among segments of the team or individualplayers.

Controls used to relegate the speed and direc-tion of video footage have gotten more sophisti-cated, too. In addition to the traditional forward,reverse and frame-by-frame functions, which arestandard on the sides of 16-mm projectors,remote VCR controls may feature an instant-replay button that allows a coach to press once tomark the start of a play and a second time tomark the play’s conclusion. That play is thenrepeated in a continuous loop until the coachpresses the button a third time to take the videoout of instant-replay mode. Remotes can also bepurchased with built-in laser pointers, allowingcoaches to focus player attention when viewinggame footage. Some manufacturers even boastabout the ergonomic design of their remotes,ensuring a comfortable fit for the human hand.

Technology has also put remote-controlledcameras in non-traditional places, such as a foot-ball field’s end zone, and taken individuals offpotentially dangerous perches in bucket trucksand scaffolding. For roughly seven years now,video shot from cameras mounted atop 30-footmasts has provided coaches with an atypical aer-ial view that is perpendicular to the line of scrim-mage, allowing for clear dissection of set

formations and blocking assignments. The masts can be purchased as part of a two-

wheeled trailer for easy travel, or with a portabletripod base that when assembled is wide enoughto resist high winds. The cameras can be manipu-lated to tilt, pan, zoom and focus using a monitorand joystick from thousands of feet away — oftenfrom within the press box. With a starting pricearound $10,000, these remote cameras are partic-ularly popular among high schools and small col-leges whose facilities lack high vantage pointsbehind their end zones. “Coaches saw the needfor end-zone shots, because most people don’thave a means of getting them,” says MikeBokulich, founder of U.S. Sports Video inAmherst, Ohio. “And, because of the liability

involved, many schools are prohibitingpeople from going in the air.”

In addition, wall-mounted remote cam-eras can be purchased for the filming ofindoor sports, such as basketball and vol-leyball.

Just as it did for the logging of gamevideo, software is streamlining the

stat-gathering process, eliminating cum-bersome spiral-bound scorebooks infavor of sleek handheld computers.Within the past two years, statistics-col-lection programs have been designed fora number of sports (including football,basketball, baseball, softball, volleyballand soccer) and for application by teamsat virtually every level, particularly thoseteams affiliated with small colleges thatlack large sports information staffs, highschools and even recreation depart-ments. Major Division I universities,meanwhile, may find use for the productin practice settings.

The basketball program, for example,allows opposing teams’ roster numbers to beloaded onto the handheld, with the 10 players cur-rently on the court listed on opposite sides of thescreen as the home team and visiting team. Thescreen also includes a half-court diagram and anumber of prompts activated by the user’s stylus,depending on what occurs during the game. Ifnumber 32 from the home team hits a three-pointshot from the right corner, the user touches 32 onthe list of home players, then the court diagram inthe right corner beyond the three-point line, thenthe word “made” (which appears alongside“missed”). If there was an assist on the play bynumber 15, that number is touched followed by an“assist” prompt. The same goes for fouls,turnovers, offensive and defensive rebounds, andanything else that must be recorded during thegame. Mistakes are erased using a “clear” button.

At any point during the game, the statisticiancan instantly refer to how each team, as well aseach player on both teams, is performing, say, atthe free-throw line. The computer is constantlyupdating percentages with each new touchsequence entered. Final game statistics can beposted within five minutes of a game’s conclusionfor player and local media consumption. A coach,meanwhile, can choose to reference his team’s per-formance for that game, as well as cumulative statsfor any number of recent games or the entire sea-son. During practice, the coach has instant visual

54 ATHLETIC BUSINESS December 2002 www.athleticbusiness.com

“A LOT OF COACHES

WILL TELL YOU, ‘I’M

UNPREDICTABLE. I

DON’T DO THE SAME

THING TWICE.’ WHEN

HE STARTS PLUGGING

HIS DATA IN THERE,

HE’LL SEE THAT HE

DOES THE SAME THINGS

A LOT. IT’S PRETTY

AMAZING.”


evidence to point out any given player’s perfor-mance. “It’s not just statistics; it’s on-screen visu-als,” says Jim Emery, cofounder of Columbus,Ohio-based software provider Digital Scout. “I cancome to you and show you what you’re doingright, what you’re doing wrong. It’s a teachingtool.” Hard-copy stat sheets and chartsare easily produced by interfacing thehandheld with a desktop computer andprinter.

The programs themselves are beingupdated, too, usually with the help ofcoaches’ feedback. One palm-sized stat-gathering program to emerge within thevolleyball market allows coaches ofadvanced teams to rate passes andserves using a scale accessible via a pull-down menu.

Handhelds also come into play duringthe analysis of game film, but with a dif-ferent software program that, at $600, isnearly five times as expensive as stat-gathering programs. If a football coach iswatching game footage of his opponent,he may have to chronicle what happenedon each of 150 plays. He can do thatusing handheld scouting software, loadthe information gathered onto a desktopcomputer, and print out full reports relat-ing to what the opponent’s tendencies are in third-and-short situations, for instance. By eliminatingpencil, paper and the manual sorting of differenttypes of plays from the process, the software’sdesigners believe coaches are spared between five

and 10 hours of labor each time they break downfilm.

Scouting software designed for sports otherthan football is expected to hit the market in Janu-ary. Baseball and softball programs, for example,will allow coaches in those sports to not only track

players’ batting averages, but how theplayers perform against left-handedpitching, with runners in scoring posi-tion and other game scenarios.

Over the past decade, sidelines andmeeting rooms have steadily moved

toward becoming wireless and paperlessenvironments. The investment requiredof athletic and recreation departmentsto streamline their behind-the-scenesgame and game-preparation operationscan prove substantial, but the savingsrealized in terms of employee time andeffort are equally significant. For manydepartments, providing staff with thebest means by which to complete criticaltasks only makes good business sense.

Whether it’s the simple freedomafforded by wireless headset communi-cation systems; the ease with whichgame film is recorded, edited and ana-lyzed; or the convenience of accumulat-

ing statistics and plotting charts on a computerroughly the size of a calculator, significant stridesin technology have allowed coaches to conducttheir business more efficiently, more effectivelyand even more comfortably. �

CIRCLE 52 ON REPLY CARDwww.athleticbusiness.com December 2002 ATHLETIC BUSINESS 55

“COACHES SAW THE

NEED FOR END-ZONE

SHOTS, BECAUSE MOST

PEOPLE DON’T HAVE A

MEANS FOR GETTING

THEM. AND, BECAUSE OF

THE LIABILITY INVOLVED,MANY SCHOOLS ARE

PROHIBITING PEOPLE

FROM GOING IN

THE AIR.”

Aquatic workoutsmade easy& effective.

Versatile new Fin & Flipper® Exercise Logsare the ideal accessory for effective aquaticexercise. The unique slot design does notrequire grip strength, so Fin & FlipperExercise Logs are comfortable for people whoare grip-challenged—simply slip the hand orfoot through the slot and begin to exercise.

Available in small and large sizes, thebuoyant exercise logs are easy to use, and canbe used on either the hands or the feet. Soldin pairs, complete with illustrated exercises.

Fin & Flipper® Exercise Logs: Small ..................................................#AQ10Large ..................................................#AQ12

CAN BE USED ON FEET OR HANDS

TWO SIZES; NO GRIPSTRENGTH REQUIRED

Aquatic workoutsmade easy& effective.

OPTPThe Conservative Care Specialists

Phone: (763) 553-0452 Fax: (763) 553-9355 www.optp.com

Free Catalog: 1-800-367-7393OPTP@ optp.com ©1999 OPTP


bby paul steinbachy paul steinbach

Documents