Dive Brief:
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Technology is changing the way high school athletes are trained and recruited, with easy access to video through smartphone apps and other equipment allowing for personalized training even at the secondary school level, EdTech: Focus on K-12 reports.
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Mobile tech capabilities like texting are being used for team communication, while coaches are also using now ubiquitous access to video to critique players and develop individualized feedback. Video also opens the door for broader higher ed recruiting, putting student athletes in front of a broader swath of college coaches across divisions.
- Though the use of technology is becoming more prevalent in school sports, it’s not yet universal, as the ability of a district to access technology for sports programs ultimately depends on availability of funds.
Dive Insight:
Technology is seeping into all areas of education, and athletics is no different. At the high school level, the tech evolution is bringing costs to a reasonable enough level that high school coaches can access the same type of tools as college and professional programs.
The use of data collection to compose winning teams is nothing new, and it’s becoming easier than ever thanks to apps that track the performance and statistics of specific athletes. That information can help coaches put together winning lineups and even make adjustments if the opposing team has a particular strength that needs to be checked.
Those athletes whose schools have one-to-one devices and good WiFi connectivity can bring their own school-issued laptop or ChromeBook to practice to watch game video. Alternatively, if they have to miss practice, they can perform team workouts remotely via a live practice feed.
Perhaps most notably, on the higher ed recruitment front, coaches and players can now connect on a national level rather than just a regional one. The ability to view player footage without stepping on a plane is especially helpful for Division III schools that have smaller budgets for travel. Thanks to this trend, players are being recruited by schools well outside of the typical recruitment radius, expanding students' options for the future.
In addition, college coaches are taking this a step further by utilizing virtual reality to woo players to their program, giving student athletes a sense of what it would feel like to step onto their field and attend their school.