Sports Activated Magazine April 2011

1 April 2011 • www.sportsactivated.com




By now, social networking requires no explana-

�on. It is, for the most part, a regular aspect of

our daily lives. To some, it may have become as

close to a human basic need as any. Well, may-

be not.

We are infinitely connected to one another

through an arms reach of emails, text messages,

twi#er alerts and Facebook status updates that

ensure we are all on the same page. We are no

longer at the mercy of faulty wristwatch ba#er-

ies and misplaced agendas. Surely, given our

technological advances in instant no�fica�ons

and mee�ng reminders, there should not be

any conceivable reason for anyone to miss a

game or prac�ce. Well, there are some things

which humans have not yet been able to code

an app for- the weather. Luckily, RainedOut has

just the solu�on.

Developed by Omnilert, (providers of emergen-

cy no�fica�ons) RainedOut has the capacity to

send out �me-sensi�ve informa�on such as

game cancella�ons. These alerts can be re-

ceived via text message, email and online. So if

humans cannot control the weather- we can at

least let each other know that t-ball prac�ce is

cancelled for tomorrow- today. (P.8)

"The Social Sports Network" (as I like to call it)

enables athletes to add another dimension to

this interconnec�vity. Personal athle�c sta�s�cs

can now be collected, analyzed, organized and

published in ways that will soon rival those of

professional athletes. LockerDome allows teams

and athletes ability to create private networks,

where they can manage team schedules, player

profiles, and rich media content. (P.15)

It has long been said that sport imitates life. So

is there any wonder that social networking is

fast becoming a necessity for athletes and

sports organiza�ons? This is only the beginning,

who knows what innova�ons have yet to be in-

troduced to the Social Sports Network?

The

Social

Sports

Network


Email your response to [email protected]

In response to last month’s

Feedback question:

“Do coaches require more or

less technology when measur-

ing athlete’s performance?

What have you seen that has

worked...or has not?”

YOU SAID: YOU SAID: YOU SAID: YOU SAID:

“Technology is helping in many

areas of life and certainly helping

coaches and athletes move to

new performance levels. Working

with athletes is a blend of art and

science. Science and research-

based tools can validate and even

introduce new aspects of the ath-

lete's performance limits and be-

havior - not previously recognized

by coaches. Our science-based

tool, the Emo�onal Intelligence

Sports Inventory (ESi) is recog-

nized by coaches and athletes as a

great conversa�on starter in an

o8en awkward area - mental and

emo�onal capabili�es. When I

was playing professional sports -

the lack of a quan�fiable star�ng

point lead to many awkward

conversa�ons that went in cir-

cles really never leading to any

final conclusions and a defined

plan. Use of a powerful tool to

gain informa�on about the ath-

lete complemented by the

coach's experience, knowledge

about the athlete and observa-

�ons about the athlete's perfor-

mance is a potent combina�on

to bring the athlete to new levels

- and saves valuable �me. “

- John H.

“For the most part coaches rely

on a qualita�ve assessment of an

athlete based on the knowledge

and experience of the coach. The

qualita�ve assessment can also be

derived from an intui�ve compari-

son to other athletes who are

peaking in their performance.

Technology may not be able to

replace the knowledge, experi-

ence, or intui�on of a coach but it

can assist a coach to verify and

validate assump�ons. Technolo-

gies that can provide quan�ta�ve

data to verify and validate perfor-

mance benchmarks can be very

useful to a coach. Too much tech-

nology may be distrac�ng when

the focus is directed more to-

wards the technology itself rather

that the athlete. “ - Rogelio R.

“The work that Mr. Seto has pro-

vided for tracking the history of

athletes performances has been

ac�ve and successful for many

years. So8ware, programming,

and hardware at its best.

www.mastersrankings.com”

- Jeff D.

[feed

back]

Next month’s Feedback question:

“Which assis ve technologies do you think have

most benefited athletes with disabili es? ”


Recon-Zeal

Transcend Goggles

The op�cal system, de-

signed by Recon Instru-

ments, is embedded with-

in a Zeal Op�cs’ frame

design on a micro LCD

display, which appears to

hang approximately six

feet in front of the user.

Transcend SPPX is fi#ed with an

SPPX polarized and photochromic

lens retailing at $499US, Transcend

SPX features an SPX polarized lens

and costs $399US.

GEAR AND GADGETS

These revolu�onary GPS-enabled

goggles can be purchased from

Recon Instruments’ website:

www.reconinstruments.com

Transcend is the only pair of goggles in

the world to provide real-�me feedback

to the user, including:

-speed

-la�tude/longitude

-al�tude

-ver�cal distance travelled

-total distance travelled

-chrono/stopwatch mode

-a run-counter

-temperature and;

-�me


[appofthemonth] So8 Pauer’s 2011 F1 Timing app gets you to the

heart of the ac�on. This is a fantas�c app for F1

fans. Real-�me track posi�ons and data stream

directly from the race track to your iPhone. This

opens the door to a whole new way of accessing

real-�me race data.

You are able to zoom in on a driver, spin the 3D map and watch

the race unfold in real-�me. The app allows you control the ac-

�on you want to follow, from any angle, corner, or driver.

Access Live Timing Data or Dynamic Leaderboard

and follow the ac�on with posi�ons, lap �mes,

gaps, sectors �mes, circuit data, speeds, and race

status.

We especially loved the op�on to select and follow a

favorite driver. The live leaderboard combines the live

�ming data from the circuit with informa�on graphics

for quick reference, select your favorite driver bar and

watch their progress on the 3D map.

You can find So8 Pauer’s 2011 F1 Timing app at the

iTunes store for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.


RainedOut is one of those technologies in

which anyone involved in organized

sports can truly appreciate. We have all

been there: show up to the park on a

rainy day, only to have sparse a#end-

ance. Those who are not present, indeed

got the message. Game cancelled. This is

a similar scenario in which Ara Bagda-

sarian found himself. He is CEO and co-

founder of Omnilert, providers of emer-

gency no�fica�ons. That day, Ara decided

to apply a similar no�fica�on service to

the soccer league where he was coach-

ing. "I offered our emergency aler�ng

service for the soccer league to send out

�me-sensi�ve informa�on such as game

cancella�ons. Over the following five

years the service virally grew to over

3,000 teams and leagues- completely via

word of mouth." RainedOut was born.

The web-based plaOorm provided sub-

scribers with �me-sensi�ve informa�on

by means of text message, email and

online. Bagdasarian says that RainedOut

is a discreet service that reaches custom-

ers in a customizable way. "We provide

players freedom by allowing them to be

out and about and knowing they will re-

ceive �me-sensi�ve informa�on wherev-

er they are. We provide coaches and

administrators �me by providing a service

that enables them to reach 5 or 50,000

people in just seconds."

RainedOut leverages technologies applied

to an established communica�on infra-

structure. "The technology that powers

RainedOut is the same mission-cri�cal

emergency no�fica�on network that

thousands of organiza�ons including gov-

ernment, military, Fortune 500 compa-

nies, and hundreds of uni-

versi�es rely on every day."

says Bagdasarian.

He points out that whether

coaches have to reach a

team or event organizers

have to alert a#endees of a change, the

RainedOut plaOorm is poised to provide

real-�me no�fica�ons using cuPng-edge

technology.

"Having the ability to instantly reach tens

or tens of thousands of teammates or

tournament a#endees with informa�on

wherever they are is invaluable.

RainedOut was the first to offer this in-

stant-and-everywhere communica�ons

ability for team sports, and we con�nue

to

make it even easier." says Bagdasarian.

"For example, we recently introduced

mobile opt-in so a coach can simply ask

his team to send a text message in from

their phones to sign up for alerts- right

from the field! We also added the ability

for an administrator to send a text mes-

sage in to RainedOut in order to generate

a message. We keep making group com-

munica�ons easier."

Bagdasarian's vision to provide a unique

service to a market he understood, al-

lowed RainedOut to posi�on itself as a

frontrunner for such sports technologies.

"RainedOut was the first to offer mobile

alerts, which means we had a head start

in understanding the market and inno-

va�ng to meet the unique needs of team

sports. In addi�on to the intui�veness of

our plaOorm, we make it incredibly easy

for teams to communicate- wherever

they are. From mobile opt-in to remote

messaging, it is important to be accessi-

ble to the way organized sports operates.

If you are on the field all day, you need a

communica�ons tool that works with you

on the field."

Given the grassroots nature of

RainedOut, it comes to no surprise that

Bagdasarian and his team have also inte-

grated one major aspect of sports into

their technology. "We are the first and

only provider of team sports mobile

alerts to serve as a fundraising vehicle.

Teams and leagues can actually raise

funds every �me they send an alert! We

have a full sponsorship ecosystem incor-

porated into RainedOut, so just as the

local pizzeria would sponsor a teams uni-

forms, they can now sponsor their mobile

alerts."

The success of RainedOut can be meas-

ured by subscribers at any level. As Bag-

dasarian points out, the success of this

sports technology lies in its simplicity.

"There are alerts going out all day, every

day. I can tell you that I am personally a

RainedOut subscriber for my son's soccer

league, and I can appreciate when I am

no�fied in advance when there are can-

cella�ons and I do not check the website

or call the cancella�on line! We have so

many teams, leagues, racetracks, mara-

thons, events that use the service every-

day that it is difficult to get a gauge on

specific successes. I guess every �me

RainedOut is used it is a success story in

its own community!" -SA

[mobile] A

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Ara H. Bagdasarian

RainedOut

800-230-1933

[email protected]

www.RainedOut.com


Spinsight was founded in 2008 with the aim of providing real-�me analysis of sports events. "There’s nothing be#er than showing our products to a new user and

seeing their eyes light up when they see what our technology is capable of and how it will be able to help them achieve their business and personal goals." says

Alex McAndrew, Commercial Director at Spinsight Ltd.

As processing power and bandwidth availability con�nues to grow, says McAndrew, so does the opportunity to deliver more data and content to end users quickly

and efficiently. "What we’re excited about is using this opportunity to bridge the gap between in the in-stadium and out-of-stadium experience both for fans and

coaches alike."

In the compe��ve industry of video analysis, McAndrew highlights the importance of adap�ng to the ever-changing requirements of customers. "What we found

when shi8ing our efforts from R&D to commercializa�on was that the limi�ng factors of advanced technologies in the coaching world were not the technologies

themselves, but rather how the technologies fit in with the workflow of the end users. It’s fine to have a solu�ons that does XYZ, but if it doesn’t fit in with your

customer’s processes then it’s not going to be adopted. Therefore, we con�nuously engage in open dialogue with our users in order to ensure maximum u�lity of

the solu�ons we provide."

Spinsight's innova�ons were apparent in early projects, such as that implemented for various Home Na�on rugby unions. This served as a founda�on for what

later would become the K2 Camera System in use by rugby organiza�ons throughout the world. "This led to a deal with a major football (soccer) league in North

America as well as a partnership with a leading football (soccer) analysis provider that recognized the significant opportunity afforded by our technology." says

McAndrew. He points out that Spinsight con�nues to lead the industry in providing innova�ve video analysis solu�ons. "We look forward to making advanced

video analysis technology available to broader swathes of the market. This means con�nuing to make our solu�ons easier-to-use, more affordable, and compa�-

ble with an even greater set of complementary technologies."

McAndrew adds that Spinsight hopes to extend its services to include

spectators as well. "We have some developments in works that we look

forward to revealing soon which we believe will not just add value in

the world of coaching analysis but also demonstrate how video and

data can be used to foster be#er communica�on with fans, the press,

and other stakeholders within your organiza�on." - SA

Alex McAndrew

Commercial Director

Spinsight Ltd.

[email protected]

44 (0)131 225 4744

www.spinsight.com

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[sportstechanalysis] SPINSIGHT:

SPORTS VISIONARIES

Alex McAndrew, Commercial Director at Spinsight Ltd.

The Spinsight K2 Camera System


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[profile]

Not o8en does one's mind equate soldiers in combat with hockey players in a game. On

second thought, perhaps one might. In fact, one person who might make that connec�on

quite seamlessly would possibly be Impakt Protec�ve Inc. CEO Danny Crossman.

[profile]


Crossman has successfully applied his 10 years experience in explosives disposal

with the Bri�sh Army and his 11 years in the protec�ve equipment industry to

his post at the helm of one of the world's most innova�ve producers of protec-

�ve sensor solu�ons. You might say that Crossman is no stranger to innova�on.

In 2006, he developed first helmet mounted impact recorder for combat helmets

for US Army and Marines. But not to worry, as Crossman points out, you don't

require combat training to use Impakt Protec�ve's products. "The sensors are

designed to be sold a8ermarket and integrated onto the helmet by parents,

trainers, or players as well as integrated into the helmet at manufacture/ assem-

bly stage by the helmet manufacturer."

Impakt Protec�ve produces cost effec�ve sensors that during game play, relays

real-�me Kine�c informa�on using proprietary so8ware. A prime example of this

is Impakt Protec�ve's ShockboxTM. It is an impact indicator which gauges the

force delivered to a player's helmet and references that informa�on against a

set of test and clinical data on head accelera�on injury predic�on. "The sensor

then sends a wireless data signal to a smart phone, PDA or PC showing the date/

�me, direc�on of hit as well as the player unique ID." says Crossman.

This past year, the topic of concussions in sport has gained trac�on in the North

American media. Nowhere has this been more prevalent than in the Na�onal

Hockey League. In recent months, the discussions surrounding the concussion

epidemic in professional hockey has increased as it's star player, Sidney Crosby

(Pi#sburgh Penguins captain), had been on the sidelines due to a head injury

sustained during game play. Although there may not be a helmet that can pre-

vent a concussion, teams can at minimum measure the impact to a player. Cross-

man points out that the advancements in athle�c injury assessment technology,

is to iden�fy when a poten�al concussion has occurred. "Impakt sensors are not

medical devices, but they provide an "observer" role in the team by triggering

the standard concussion protocol, SCAT2, ImPACT tes�ng or physician diagno-

sis." Impakt Protec�ve provides teams with the technological tools necessary to

diagnose concussions

much more accurately

than ever before and mi�-

gate prolonged injury to

their most important asset

- the players. "The player,

coach, parent or trainer (or

team physician) is the

ul�mate decision maker in

all concussion events. The

ShockboxTM technology is

a tool in their kit to be able to evaluate concussed players." says Crossman.

"Since many players and coaches have a hard �me diagnosing concussions, the

ShockboxTM simply provides another indicator to force the diagnosis."

Injury assessment technology is not a new concept, but has been gaining more

a#en�on as of late with the increased public awareness of concussions in con-

tact sports. There con�nues to be a hesita�on by professional sports organiza-

�ons to implement such

assessment technologies.

Crossman concludes that

injury assessment has

long been a difficult sci-

ence to master. It is pre-

cisely this complica�on

Impakt is aimed at simpli-

fying. "Injury assessment

is a fickle science due to

the variances of individu-

al brain physiology, con-

cussion history and so

on and for this reason,

ShockboxTM does not

a#empt to assess an

injury in the player -

that is a sports physi-

cians job." he said. "ShockboxTM technology aims to create the basic data

needed to alert players and coaches to start the approved concussion manage-

ment processes. It is this process that currently lacks in many minor league

teams due to inexperience or other pressures."

Crossman highlights the importance of working in partnership other industry

leaders to provide technological solu�ons to sports injury analysis." In working

with leading Biomechanics and Neurosurgical ins�tutes, we see an industry

collabora�ve ap-

proach to developing

technologies that can

actually diagnose and

predict concussions

using technology. This

would be the future of

sports injury predic-

�on, but it cannot

likely be done by one

company alone."

Digress to the original no�on that some might equate soldiers with athletes.

How does a technology such as the ShockboxTM influence contact sports such as

hockey and football, where for the most part, pressure to succeed at all costs

plays a large role in a player's decision to "ba#le through" an injury? Crossman

says that the success of the technology hinges upon its acceptance by teams.

"The ShockboxTM technology has to follow the sports culture, otherwise it will

not get used by payers or teams. By integra�ng the sensor as a wireless system

that communicates directly to off the shelf smart phones or PCs, the teams can

use the technology the way that best suits their needs."

Crossman also considers providing Impakt's technological services to make

sports more entertaining and interac�ve."Impakt's future direc�on is to develop

sensors that can track a range of sports performance and analy�cs that aide

coaches to gauge performance improvement and for players to use in social

media." He added that in Fall 2011, "Impakt will release the full retail wireless

ShockboxTM impact sensor available online and in stores throughout North

America." -SA

"ShockboxTM technology aims to create the basic data

needed to alert players and coaches to start the approved

concussion management processes. It is this process that

currently lacks in many minor league teams due to

inexperience or other pressures."

Danny Crossman

CEO

Impakt Protec�ve Inc.

613-698-8752

danny@impaktprotec�ve.com

www.impaktprotec�ve.com

[profile]

Impakt Sensor case

ShockboxTM. gauges the force delivered to a player's

helmet and references that information against a set of test

and clinical data.

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Many parents can relate to the �mes spent in cold arenas, watching

their son or daughter through early morning hockey prac�ce. It is a

sport that requires a par�cular type of dedica�on on and off the ice.

The game of hockey requires athletes to not only apply skilled mechan-

ics but also to harness and maintain a high-level of strength and stami-

na. Much of an athlete's condi�oning occurs off the ice. Enter Hock-

eyOT.com.

Developed by Dr. Chad Moreau, HockeyOT.com is a web-based training

plaOorm that allows members to access their training schedule online.

To date, HockeyOT.com has members on several con�nents including

North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The dis�nct technical ad-

vantage of HockeyOT.com’s

plaOorm is the Rou�ne Generator.

The Rou�ne Generator is built on a

proprietary back-end plaOorm de-

signed specifically and exclusively

for use on HockeyOT.com.

The site provides proven and effec-

�ve dry-land training rou�nes for

both male and female hockey play-

ers of all ages and skill levels. Dr.

Moreau is a graduate of Southern California University of Health Sci-

ences, where his studies focused on human biomechanics as it relates

to sports. He also a#ained a Cer�fied Strength & Condi�oning Specialty

in 1998 and has been providing off-ice training for hockey players since

then. Dr. Moreau has worked with hockey players from youth to pro-

fessional players and Olympic champions. Dr. Moreau has also served

as the Strength & Condi�oning/ Nutri�on Consultant for the Edmonton

Oilers (2005-2009) and the Long Beach Ice Dogs (2001-2006). Drawing

upon his extensive background in biomechanics of hockey, Dr. Moreau

developed HockeyOT.com, of which he is currently the ac�ng presi-

dent. It is a hockey-specific off-ice training website, offering affordably

priced workouts that can be completed in a home or gym.

HockeyOT.com provides hockey-specific training guidelines and per-

sonalized training programs using Rou�ne Generator™, a one-of-a-kind

program powered by a sophis�cated series of algorithms. "Rou�ne

Generator™ produces personalized training programs for every mem-

ber based upon age, weight, level of play, past training experience,

posi�on, gender, stated goals, as well as access to certain pieces of

training equipment. This unique program enables HockeyOT.com to

generate customizable workouts for both in and off season regiments,

accommoda�ng differing schedules based on a the season which a

player finds themselves training in. Rou�ne Generator™ also provides

athletes with a sports nutri�on menu builder program that provides an

excellent complement to our workout programs.

Another important element that allows HockeyOT.com to catapult to

the forefront of online training tools is the extensive video library of

exercise rou�nes and demonstra�ons available to its members. While

the degree of complexity in HockeyOT.com's training rou�nes varies

based on each members’ profile, the ability to watch a video featuring

an expert perform a specific exercise using the appropriate technique

is helpful for any member regardless of their skill or experience. There

are currently over 350 videos within the member area of Hock-

eyOT.com. In addi�on, when members are registered as part of a team

format their coaches are given dashboard access to review and com-

pare each individual team members’ results.

HockeyOT.com is in the process of developing a smart phone applica-

�on which eventually will make it even easier for members to access

training schedules and input data Online training sites displaying

workout methodologies are fast becoming the alterna�ve to in-person

fitness op�ons. They are structured and are flexible, allowing the ath-

lete to customize the workout not only to their skillset, but also their

physical surroundings. HockeyOT.com's hockey-centered tes�ng se-

quence further exemplifies this adaptability and allows the athlete to

have a custom-generated rou�ne.

But the most crucial evidence of HockeyOT.com's success can be found

in athletes that have benefited from it at the highest levels. One exam-

ple of this is that of professional hockey player, Shawn Horcoff. In his

first year training with the HockeyOT system,

Horcoff had a career year in 2005-6 with 73

points and a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals (19

points in 24 playoff games). Shawn now serves

as the captain of the Edmonton Oilers (which

means that the Oilers have been captained by

HockeyOT.com members since 2007). Ethan

Moreau, who has played 15 years in the NHL,

also credits his longevity to he HockeyOT train-

ing program. Yet the benefits of using

HockeyOT.com, extends to youth ath-

letes as well. Michael Mazzitelli started

training 1 year ago with HockeyOT. Michael has been playing for the

last 7 years and prior to training with HockeyOT has missed at least one

game every season due to injury. A8er training with HockeyOT last

summer and con�nuing his training during the 2010-11 season, Mi-

chael played his first full season without missing any games and main-

tained perfect physical health during the season. The HockeyOT.com

team hopes to con�nue adding more op�ons for younger athletes.

HockeyOT.com are currently in the process of crea�ng an introductory

program for younger athletes ages 8-10. With the recent release of the

Coach’s Dashboard feature, HockeyOT.com will enable a coach to track

his/her team’s training progress and schedule. For next season, the

product with provide coaches the ability to influence each player’s

training programs by adding an in-season “team training” func�on.

HockeyOT.com are currently in the process of

developing a mo-

bile applica�on

with a scheduled

release in 2011.

- SA

Darrin Phillips

Founder

Top Shelf Enterprises

HockeyOT.com

[email protected]

[aroundtheNET]

Edmonton Oilers captain,

Shawn Horcoff

Dr. Chad Moreau

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[multimedia]

Video produc�on has come a long way in col-

legiate athle�cs. Not long ago, schools would

share team film for pre-game prepara�ons.

According to Blake Adams, Director of Video

and Crea�ve Services at Georgia State Univer-

sity, it was an inefficient and expensive task.

"When I first started out at Georgia Tech

we traded tape with opponents by literally

trading a tape (which some�mes meant

hiring a person to hand deliver it to an

upcoming opponent by flying it there).

Now we exchange video in the blink of an

eye with an internet exchange service. Not

only does it allow us to exchange full

games, but the games are already inter-cut

and marked so within minutes of down-

loading it the film is ready for coaches to

view."

Adams started working in his field as Video

Coordinator for his high school team. He

was later offered a scholarship at Georgia

Tech to study and work in Coaches Film for

the Football program. "While there I also be-

came heavily involved with the Jumbo Screen

produc�on for all of our sports and honed my

skills in crea�ng exci�ng environments for

thousands of fans at spor�ng events." remem-

bers Adams. "While at Tech I also received a

Bachelors Degree in Business Management

focusing on Marke�ng which has given me a

wide skill set in running a fully func�oning

Video and Crea�ve Services department."

The applica�on of video technology extends

far beyond the playing field. "A lot of people

don't realize the impact of video technology to

the fan experience." says Adams. He points

out that upon entering the Georgia Dome

(GSU's home stadium), fans are instantly faced

with a video screen, ribbon board or jumbo

screen in any given direc�on. "Videos, specifi-

cally intro videos, have the ability to create

powerful emo�ons in a mul�tude of fans. For

our first ever game at Georgia State we pro-

duced a very drama�c piece that had players

describing the blood, sweat and tears that had

gone into preparing for the inaugural season."

Adams' staff also use video technology to pro-

vide in-game sta�s�cs, informa�on and fan

informa�on. "Video Technology is also huge in

our sponsorship department as we u�lize all

the LED Boards throughout the game to run

sponsor messages." Adams says that crea�vity

helps to cul�vate ways to improve the fan

experience through video interac�on. "At GSU

we strive to let our crea�vity and passion for

this technology set us apart. With that said,

we are always looking for new technology to

further enhance the fans day. Our goal for

next season is to implement a text messaging

system that is interac�ve with the Jumbo

Screen throughout the game." With the evolv-

ing landscape of mul�media op�ons available

to fans, Adams hopes to keep visitors of Geor-

gia State games engaged. "With the ever in-

creasing availability of smart phones and mo-

bile media that is obviously an area we are

looking into exploring." he points out. "My

goal is to use technology to not only keep the

fans entertained with exci�ng videos, but to

interact with the fan and make them feel like

they are part of the ac�on. Maybe they can

tune into the locker room pre-game speech

from their phone, vote on the play of the

game with a text message, watch an in-

stant replay from mul�ple angles they can

select on their phone screen? The possibili-

�es are truly endless and it's exci�ng to see

where sports technology will be in the

future."

Adams highlights the important role that

the Video and Crea�ve Services plays in

providing the coaching staff with invaluable

video services. "Video has been, and is con�n-

uing to be, a vital asset in a coaches arsenal.

One of my departments responsibili�es is

providing film to our Football team and coach-

es. We cover every prac�ce with three camer-

as and then import that footage into our com-

puter system where within minutes of prac�ce

coaches are able to watch and analyze every

play." Just as important to the coaching staff

is, of course, knowing their opponent's

strengths and weaknesses. Collec�ng video on

opposing teams is not a new prac�ce and has

been used in sports for many years. Adam's

team at GSU have advanced this age-old disci-

pline and brought it into the 21st Century,

thanks to technology providers such as XOS.

"We use an add-on XOS, our so8ware devel-

oper, where we can develop plays and then let

our players use XBOX like controllers to run

through those plays from different points of

views. Players and coaches being able to study

what an opponent typically does in different

situa�ons on the field is an incredible tool.

With XOS, coaches are able to run sta�s�cs

against opponents, such as pass vs. run or

what an opponent does on third down with

eight yards to go, and then also view those

plays and show them to players. This is an

incredible asset." The XOS technology has

played an important role in Adam's delivery of

state-of-the-art video solu�ons to Georgia

State Athle�cs. "We u�lize the XOS Thunder

system for our football coaches film at Georgia

State. We were one of the first Division 1

schools to bring in the latest version of XOS

and it has been an incredible asset. At Georgia

Tech I had the opportunity to work with mul�-

ple edi�ng technologies, and decided to go

with XOS for GSU." -SA

Blake Adams

Director

Video and Crea�ve Services

Georgia State University

Athle�cs

[email protected]

(Office)404.413.4122

www.georgiastatesports.com

Video and Crea�ve Services ,Georgia State University

Athle�cs

EYE ON

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The fast-paced world of everything we par�cipate

in is inexplicably fused into the social fabric. This

includes the world of sports and recrea�on. Locker-

Dome is an example of how sports and social net-

working can be successfully intertwined.

"Teams and organiza�ons pay to launch their own

private networks, where they can manage team

schedules, player profiles, and rich media content."

says Gabe Lozano, Co-Founder and CEO of Locker-

Dome. He add that that athletes can create a free

profile, which becomes their sole sports iden�ty.

"An athlete’s LockerDome ID allows them to join

mul�ple networks – such as their high school base-

ball team network, club baseball team network,

and fall soccer team network. Coaches and fans

can scour LockerDome to find informa�on on play-

ers and teams. "They apply a broad range of open-

source web technologies that support and compli-

ment their homegrown sports management func-

�onality. The service makes the most of Amazon’s

web services to apply produc�on code in a scala-

ble and stable hos�ng environment.

Lozano iden�fies two key variables that enable

LockerDome to apply a unique service to custom-

ers through technological innova�on- crea�on and

consump�on of content- that allow for quicker and

easier access to content on players and teams.

"LockerDome’s standard ID system improves the

consump�on end. Regardless of how athletes and

teams create their content, we want to make all of

their content more accessible – for themselves, for

college recruiters, for mom and dad, for grandma,

and even for showing their kids in 20 years. On the

content crea�on side, there are several companies

that have developed some really neat post-pc apps

(i.e. apps for the iPhone, iPad, etc.) to simplify

scorekeeping, as well as making the consump�on

of real-�me game stats more accessible."

LockerDome's dis�nct service of offering

online content plaOorm for athletes to

profile themselves and connect with teams

and coaches, is a by-product of Lozano's

background. His passion for both sport and

entrepreneurship helped shape Locker-

Dome. "Athle�cally, I played compe��ve

baseball for 17 years – from tee ball

through college. I’ve addi�onally spoken to

groups of college-bound athletes on maximizing the

college recrui�ng process." he said. "As an entre-

preneur, I’ve created and executed successful web

strategies for more than two dozen companies."

But he adds that LockerDome is not just another

social network. "Instead of adding yet more clu#er

to the market, LockerDome’s universal ID allows

you to find content on youth athletes and teams

more easily." In visualizing LockerDome, Lozano

says that he looked back at his own youth and

memories he had playing sports as a kid. Taking

that one step further, he asked himself, "How in-

credible would it be to relive those moments to-

day?" Lozano and his team began to think about all

of the youth athletes that are par�cipa�ng in sport

today, and how they too would one day wish they

had captured memories of the past. "We ul�mately

realized that billions of life�me memories are cre-

ated each year by more than 45 million youth ath-

letes. Yet sadly enough, the photos, videos, ar�cles,

and stats that capture these special moments are

disorganized, hard to find online, and eventually

lost forever." says Lozano. "Bo#om line, we believe

our solu�on will allow every athlete to easily track

and share a life�me of sports memories in a single

loca�on, forever."

Lozano and his team at LockerDome have iden�fied

a demand in amateur sports that to date, he says,

has not been adequately addressed. He believes

that LockerDome's web-based delivery of social

networks for teams and athletes has impacted the

way team sports are organized online. "Truthfully, I

think the impact to-date has been next to none.

Team sports were drama�cally enhanced when

team management started coming online in the

90s. Since then, in spite of the mul�tudes of sports

social sites that have launched, we’ve seen almost

no fundamental advancements." Lozano highlights

the gap for amateur sports informa�on online and

how LockerDome is primed to fill that need techno-

logically. "It o8en feels as if the amateur sports

market is s�ll 5+ years behind most other markets

. Between millions of passionate sports

par�cipants, the high adop�on of online network-

ing, the recent influx of post-pc devices, and the

factors listed above, the youth sports market is

primed for major disrup�on."

LockerDome has established itself as a market

leader, most notably in baseball. "Much of our

current penetra�on is with large club baseball

programs that want an easier approach to manage

profiles for hundreds of players." says Lozano.

Players can now update their own online profile,

rather than depending on a coach to post their

recent informa�on. "An example is Mac-N-Seitz, an

elite club baseball program that is run by Kevin

Seitzer, the hiPng coach for the Kansas City Royals.

Our customer programs collec�vely had over 100

players receive Division 1 scholarships in 2010."

But Lozano points out that even more energizing

than what LockerDome has achieved, is where their

plaOorm is headed. " One of the most interes�ng

networks currently being launched is for Baseball

For All, an organiza�on run by Jus�ne Siegal, a

woman that recently made na�onal headlines

when she became the first woman ever to throw

baPng prac�ce to an MLB team. Jus�ne is launch-

ing the Baseball For All Network as the primary

recrui�ng source to promote and grow girls base-

ball across the country."

Lozano says that LockerDome is set to officially

launch a universal ID system by August 2011, since

currently players are limited to a joining single

network. "We will addi�onally enhance how our

members share informa�on within their exis�ng

social graphs, as well as a few surprises." -SA

[thesocialsportsnetwork]

“...LockerDome’s universal ID

allows you to find content on

youth athletes and teams more

easily."

Player s Stats, LockerDome.com

Player s Profiles, LockerDome.com

Ar�

cle

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Gabe Lozano

Co-Founder, CEO

LockerDome

314.608.9327

lockerdome.com


[coaching]

SA: Coach Stahl, tell us a li#le about your background in the

sport of soccer.

COACH STAHL: I was fortunate to grow up in an ethnic-based

community in Cleveland, Ohio with many first genera�on immi-

grants and grew to love soccer. As a successful youth player I

was no�ced by US Soccer and included in the youth na�onal

team pool prior to playing at the University of Akron (2010

NCAA D-1 Champions) where I also was named to the Olympic

team pool. A8er college I was dra8ed in the ASL by the Cleve-

land Cobra where I played in between training with West Ham

United of the English Premier League and a few seasons with

Cork Cel�c of the League of Ireland and other professional

clubs. Upon my re�rement I taught school for a few years and

then was employed as a collegiate coach for nine years. I was

fortunate to marry a women’s na�onal team player and develop

an elite camp for aspiring elite soccer players. A8er my divorce

I moved to Cincinna�, Ohio in a posi�on as the Director of

coaching for Ohio South in further charge of the development of

60,000 players and over 9,000 coaches. Leaving Ohio South to

form the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy allowed me to further focus

on player development. A8er my move to the Kings Soccer

Academy the process was even further enhanced. So I guess I

come to the Kings with a wealth of experience. I now work with

a wide range of players from pros down to the U9 and U10 pro-

gram.

SA: What types of technologies have allowed you to deliver con-

�nued innova�on and value to soccer training and develop-

ment? What are some examples of how you use technology to

improve the way your athletes train?

COACH STAHL: I think the biggest technology advance is in the

coaching field. When I grew up there were no coaching men-

tors to learn from. We had to develop our technical abili�es as

players by playing or watching the older players perform and

learning from them. I was fortunate in that I had several good

adult players/coaches to model myself a8er. Several of the

good coaches were from foreign countries and had the ability to

translate foreign coaching manuals or magazines and use those

materials in their prac�ces. I always took notes on all the train-

ing sessions I par�cipated in. The biggest thing was going to a

US Soccer coaching school to learn how to coach. That took a

lot of money and �me. Now much of that can be accomplished

over the Internet. I recently took a League Manager’s Associa-

�on course from England right in the comfort of my own office.

Now with the advent of the Internet it is so easy to learn more

about coaching drills, sports psychology, sport science, modern

trends, etc. Instead of spending hours searching for a training

session to suit your needs, it can be done in ten minutes on the

web. An example of this is in the sports training field for ath-

letes. When coaching the Kings I can compare where their fit-

ness levels are against those of a top professional athlete in

another country. I simply pull it up from a web site and plug in

my data. Then I can assess and download the training protocol

for upgrading an individual’s performance and get to work. The

Chelsea performance manager has data collected from all over

the world. This helps them with their assessment of whether to

buy a player or not.

SA: Through your years as a player and coach, you may have

seen many types of training technology come and go. Which

stand-out in your mind as the most and least successful in your

opinion?

COACH STAHL: As a player there was not much thought put into

coaching and it was just play. The coaches did do a good job of

teaching us the passion of the game. There was not much skill

training or knowledge of physical training. In fact I was probably

over training in terms of long distance running too close to the a

game. I grew up in the pre-game meal �me of steak and eggs

mostly because that is what American Football did. We now

know that is not beneficial. Through science/technology we now

realize be#er ways to train not only the team in tac�cs but how

to develop players in terms of technical superiority. Instead of

ordering a book and reading about it I can get right into a web

page and ask ques�ons/read studies with the push of a bu#on.

We have become so much more universal due to the fact that I

can ‘Google’ a ques�on and get the latest answer in seconds

some�mes from a world renowned expert. I have just become

involved with a former player of mine Kamal de Gregory to form

www.PlaySoccer.me - a company which provides these types of

services. I am wri�ng as an expert in terms of curriculum devel-

opment and player informa�on. I am excited about this new

venture and it is opening up a whole new world for me.

1-on-1 with

renowned soccer

coach Roby Stahl Sports Ac�vated talks to one of the most influen�al

and sought-a8er coaches in the world. Roby Stahl

talks about his outlook on the 'beau�ful game' and

where technology fits into coaching.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 17)


(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16)

SA: Where do you see the applica�on of technology making the

biggest impact in the world of soccer training and performance

analysis in the future?

COACH STAHL: Two areas- video analysis (YouTube) and curricu-

lum development. Videos of players doing the latest skills and

of coaching legends running training sessions are extremely val-

uable. The value of these is immeasurable. For example with my

players if I am working on certain part of their game I give them

homework. I describe what I want and send them a link of a

player doing the skill. Now they have some concrete idea of my

demands. YouTube has opened up a new world in player and

coaching development.

In curriculum development there are subscrip�on sites which

help the coaches with their daily lesson plans. For example can I

go to the site and type in “Playing Within the 4-4-2 System” and

bingo, the informa�on is there.

SA: In our February issue, we had asked the readers about the

impact that various technologies can have on player develop-

ment. For example, when technology is used to help an athlete

understand and learn a par�cular skill, do you think that this

would be a detriment to an athlete’s skill development?

COACH STAHL: I think the more evidence (informa�on) that a

player has the be#er. Of course no player likes to think he is not

training properly or not performing up to the coach’s standards

in games…but the fact is the video does not lie. I think this

opens up a new course of dialog in the coach-player rela�on-

ship. The modern player is much savvier than in my day and

demands to know how, where and when. Now we can give the

player a link to train on and then he can video back to us and we

can assess. In terms of scou�ng players I receive large numbers

of YouTube links daily to sort through.

SA: Do you think there should be increased use of video aided

technology in professional soccer? In your opinion, would this

type of technology hurt the way referees make game-play deci-

sions or open the door to much more scru�ny?

COACH STAHL: Two issues here- clubs are already spending large

sums of money on video companies like ProZone to assess their

opponents and their own player’s performances as well s scout

players to poten�ally buy. An individual player’s performance in

a certain aspect can be looked at i.e. tackles won and where on

the field, passes a#empted and completed in the a#acking third,

etc.

I think FIFA is way behind in goal line technology. Tennis uses

the Hawkeye and it is quite effec�ve. Only recently have the

officials in soccer been given headsets and granted officials who

monitor goals from the end lines. Hockey has been very proac-

�ve in the way they sta�on a camera directly over the goal and

can tell within 30 seconds if the goal stands or not. Sta�s�cs

show that is awarding goals the soccer officials are nearly per-

fect in awarding or disallowing goals but there is human error. I

guess that gives us all talking points!

[coaching]

Roby Stahl

513-315-5711

[email protected]

www.PlaySoccer.me

www.robystahl.com


With the influx of the smart-card delivery and

electronic data technology has impacted the

way sports organiza�ons approach their busi-

ness. The GCL Mi-Seat team have extensive

backgrounds in RFID, Finance, Recruitment and

Sales Sectors which allows them to provide

electronic solu�ons for �cke�ng and e-

access."Mi-Seat provide a full end to end solu-

�on to each venue which can be easily inte-

grated with most present �cke�ng solu�ons or

as an added benefit, it has its own stand alone

�cke�ng front end to enable the club to have

total control of all aspects of their business

from event �cke�ng, access, merchandising,

marke�ng / commercial, security, safety, pro-

mo�ons and more." says Garry Hopper Chief

Execu�ve at GCL Mi-Seat. Hopper points out

the wide variety of services GCL Mi-Seat pro-

vides, "Ticke�ng solu�ons for various support-

er groups, Smart card bureau service, Mem-

bership scheme management, secure electron-

ic access solu�ons, loyalty, electronic payment

services, electronic car parking, CRM data min-

ing services, Campaign Manager for mobile

promo�ons, and more."

Data and smart-card management for sports

clubs plays an integral role in applying technol-

ogy to understanding their business. Hopper

says that the increased use of NFC (near field

communica�ons, refers to a set integrated

short-range wireless technologies) must be

more flexible to successfully meet the needs of

customers. "We see major advancements in all

NFC based technology as this is more adapta-

ble, providing greater major new ini�a�ves

and easier development, integra�on and ad-

vancement of schemes for all interested par-

�es." says Hopper. "We are con�nuously work-

ing with NFC partners to develop new solu-

�ons for many different industries who are

now switching on to what NFC can provide. We

are always open to discussion to open up or

develop new ini�a�ves for the technology on a

con�nual basis." Hopper adds that the services

GCL Mi-Seat provides con�nually helps to

solve many of the outdated and financially

burdening prac�ces many sports teams have

established over �me. CRM solu�ons provide

many benefits to organiza�ons more so than

simply collec�ng customer

data. "Paperless �cke�ng will

greatly help overcome and

eradicate the problem of

insufficient �cket booths, inadequate space or

alloca�on for �cke�ng gates, �cket tou�ng or

fraud at any venue but par�cularly at smaller

venues where the financial constraints are far

greater felt." he says. "Savings will be seen

through the elimina�on of the �cket prin�ng

opera�on, more crucially, the integrated sea-

son �cket / membership database, advanced

reports and analysis capabili�es and the fact

that our technology is built on an open

plaOorm means data can be easily exported to

spreadsheets and word processors in order to

be used by the relevant department heads."

Hopper highlights GCL Mi-Seat's solu�ons

smart-card technology, improving spectator

access into venues. "Other advantages will

include automated gate entry, which reduces

staffing needs, elimina�on of forgeries / �cket

tou�ng and increased security as the smart

card’s unique encrypted informa�on will be

needed by an individual to enter the venue. In

addi�on, there will be savings on re-issuing

�ckets that have been lost or stolen, increased

safety and reduced queue lengths."

GCL Mi-Seat's suite of services, also opens the

doors to addi�onal revenue for sports organi-

za�ons. "Another benefit lies in recapturing

the sponsorship revenue lost from physical

�ckets and with our new Mobile Phone tech-

nology comes a host of new sponsorship reve-

nue streams – it just requires a li#le more

crea�ve thinking on the part of all of the inter-

ested par�es to greatly enhance present day

paper base systems." This solu�on provides

more efficient admi#ance to venues and also

links a back-end feed into a CRM database and

E-Payment solu�ons. "That opens up a host of

new opportuni�es for seat sales, loyalty and

sponsorship programs." says Hopper. "The

phone & cards can be used to replace the use

of cash for entry or for the purchase of goods

and services at any point inside or outside the

venue. Organiza�ons and sponsors must be

able to exploit the solu�ons addi�onal benefits

of e-purse, loyalty and the various other appli-

ca�ons to improve their rela�onships with

supporters in the coming seasons and exploit

their retail market."

Hopper underscores the desire of several or-

ganiza�ons and football clubs to capitalize on

GCL-MiSeat's NFC Ticke�ng Solu�on, which

enables the use of mobile phones and re-

usable contact-less smart cards to enter ven-

ues. "The NFC / Card database contains a full

range of visual customizable personal infor-

ma�on as well as electronically encrypted data

that links the card owner to the card and the

card to a seat sale for the event, this link per-

mits entry simply by the supporter waving

their card in front of a NFC phone reader at the

turns�le." Another important aspect of

spor�ng events is that of public safety, an area

which GCL-MiSeat takes into considera�on

when implemen�ng technological solu�ons.

"There are extended visual security measures

which can be used such as, photo ID or the use

of a color-coded entry system but the basic

electronic entry request will open the turns�le

while a false entry will immediately alert stew-

ards. For addi�onal security, venue manage-

ment can monitor exactly when and where any

par�cular card owner enters or where the club

allow them to enter the stadium, ideal for

iden�fying the �me and point of entry of any

known an� –social behavior supporters or

supporters on a ‘Hot List’."-SA

CASE STUDY "One club in the UK have a major

problem with supporters arriving at the

ground at 14:55 PM, 5 minutes before kick off

and expect to be inside the venue watching

the match at 15;00 PM on a Saturday a8er-

noon. The �cket office has 300 -400 people to

process within that 5 minute �me span which

is impossible so we have designed and devel-

oped a solu�on to be operated in a fixed area

of the ground that will provide electronic ac-

cess via a secure payment solu�on which ne-

gates the need for supporters to go to the

�cket office. It is a simple and effec�ve use of

technology which overcomes problems to a

more efficient access to the venue."

[infotech]

Garry Hopper

Chief Execu�ve

GCL Mi-Seat

[email protected]

www.gcl-uk.com


[sportstechdirectory]

Ara H. Bagdasarian

RainedOut

800-230-1933

[email protected]

www.RainedOut.com

Alex McAndrew

Commercial Director

Spinsight Ltd.

[email protected]

44 (0)131 225 4744

www.spinsight.com

Danny Crossman

CEO

Impakt Protec�ve Inc.

613-698-8752

danny@impaktprotec�ve.com

www.impaktprotec�ve.com

Darrin Phillips

Founder

Top Shelf Enterprises

HockeyOT.com

[email protected]

Blake Adams

Director

Video and Crea�ve Services

Georgia State University Athle�cs

[email protected]

(Office)404.413.4122

www.georgiastatesports.com

Gabe Lozano

Co-Founder, CEO

LockerDome

314.608.9327

lockerdome.com

Roby Stahl

513-315-5711

[email protected]

www.PlaySoccer.me

www.robystahl.com

Garry Hopper

Chief Execu�ve

GCL Mi-Seat

[email protected]

www.gcl-uk.com

Do you have an innovation to share with the sports technology

world? Perhaps you would like us to profile your event or review a

product in one of our upcoming publications?

Reach out! Email us at:

[[email protected]]

Documents

Sports Activated Magazine April 2011