Coaches: Most Active Sports Tech Adopters

My last few sports tech posts (Sports Tech Evangelist Mark Notschaele Tells All) has been interview format case studies on personalities that has successfully applied latest tech products in their sports organisation processes. I ended up asking myself… Why coaches keep coming up in my sports tech user research?

 I gave it some thought and here's a list of facts I came up with:

• Coaches are always looking for innovative training methodologies
• Coaches have the ability to integrate new things in real sports settings
• Coaching requires use of technology (game film, plays, etc.)
• Emerging sports performance fields heavily rely on sports tech
• Coaches just like players want to win… and winners are ready to innovate to be step ahead of any of their competitors!

 National Teams Relying on Emerging Sports Tech Apps

 Does it come to you as a surprise that national sports teams are using new tech products? Some might say national level shouldn't be exposed to potential risks of technology failure. The reality is, coaches take calculated risks and the upside is, higher efficiency coaching, better decisions, more engaged teams…

 Pro Opinion: Israel Handball Team's YAC Coach - R. Freitas

 My sports tech user research led me to Israel Handball Teams’s YAC coach Rolando Freitas. He's a well known handball coach and now he has taken on a serious task, coaching Israel men's handball team. I was able to get in touch with him to ask about his experiences. As noted, he is an active sports tech user and I got to learn from him what are the main benefits working for his coaching tactics. 

 In my opinion, getting an invitation to work with the Israeli national men team is a big challenge and honor at the same time. Did this offer come to you as a big surprise?  

 It’s indeed a big challenge and an honor at the same time to be chosen to help Israeli Handball. Our goals are to set high standards for Israel handball future. I can’t say it was a surprise, but for sure it’s an achievement for my professional career. For several years, my passion has been handball and training methodologies. This professional curiosity has led me to seek knowledge and to get closer biggest experts in handball world. So, I was already open to have an opportunity to work abroad. It was a mutual choice and I’m happy to start working with Israel Handball Federation.

 What are the main goals that need to be met when working with a new team? 

 Initially, commitment, compromise and communication of all. To have a complete understanding of what’s going on, it’s another big thing. To realize who are the persons who can help you to do the job as well the needs and chances to develop. So, it’s kind of a SWOT analysis. After this, with the help of everyone engaged, you can design the professional program, and that includes assigning coaches, choosing goals and targets, taking decisions about how and what to work with players.

 In your day-to-day work do you get to work with other young coaches from other countries?

 A lot of years of international work with national teams, as well as a lectures and also attending several conferences across Europe offered me the opportunity to know such excellent level coaches. I'm in constant in touch with them and of the tools we use to exchange our coaching practices is XPS Network. As an example, you can get extra help from another coach that you share your work with him. What type of work? Read on…

 I've heard that you are a big supporter of sports technologies. What technological tools do you use to prepare for season and competitions? 

That’s true. I’m a big fan of self-improvement and process efficiency increasing. Technology helps me save time, get organized, have a full picture view and help on the essentials of sports, making each day better and achieving top performance results.

We are managing all the training elements inside XPS Network. It’s a really great tool because they have it all inside the same platform and it allows us to share and communicate what we are doing. At the same time, we are able to monitor our athletes and our coaches. Sports are getting faster and faster, as well as sport technology is offering more and more solutions, and if you want to boost your team’s performance, you can’t allow yourself to stay out of this.

 Interesting, so for how many years XPS Network has been in your toolbox? Are you sharing your secret weapon with other Israeli coaches, are they keen to learn more about your training efficiency secrets? 

 I have been working with XPS Network since 2008 with a lot of success. In those times, I still remember how amazed our players were when starting to use our coaching apps. Since we discovered it, there is no such thing as writing notes on paper and then losing them. Agendas, reports, schedules, everything is placed one-place.

 Feature I love even more is combo between the Organizer and the Analyzer. Our entire coaching staff has roles within the system itself. We are in the early process of motivating and instructing coaches about the system features and how relevant it can be for what we are trying to do. Israel is a Hi-Tech Nation, so XPS Network fits like a suit for Israeli coaches.

 Which of the training modules do you use with the team the most?

• SVA – Sideline Video Analyzer takes a fundamental role in our work, analyzing opponents and our system, sending info to the players
• Playbook – animations and diagrams
• Calendar View – we use it a lot to plan and schedule the programs and camps
• Collections – it’s all about having all the stuff in the same place
• Videos – they are of a great help describing and showing how to do it remotely in designed programs
• Smartphone/Tablet App – about communication with players and interaction pre and post-match/practice

 What recommendations can you give to coaches who are considering to use XPS Network for their training management? 

When you are starting as a coach, you are like a young athlete, paying attention to everything that moves. Later on, you realize what takes you on the track, but at that moment, you already have a lot of information scattered all over. Don’t lose your time, XPS Network gives you the tool set to perform as top-notch coach, from planning and organizing, through communication and evaluation, and all-in-one. It’s a must!

When you have the first official match of the season?

We already have started this summer with both M18 and M20 EURO, and the adult team will have theirs first match in Wetzlar, Germany, October 24.

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All the best in new handball season for Roberto and Israel men's handball team! Thank you for dialing in on this insightful article, if you have any questions for me or Rolando please feel free to leave them in comment section and we will gladly address them. Till the next post!