Smart watch commonly used by athletes to monitor their health and performance. Indraprojects via Pixabay

Each year, more advanced technology is released, allowing for more efficient and safe training of athletes. This technology is most commonly seen in professional and college sports, but has more recently started to make an appearance in high school athletics.

Sports have always been competitive. With everybody striving to be the best, those who train the most efficiently rise to the top resulting in longer practices and time spent dedicated to their sports. Yet this extra time athletes are taking isn’t always enough to be the best, this has sparked the more recent interest in the use of technology to aid in coaching and training leaving athletes eager to try it out. 

This technology ranges from simple items such as watches that monitor heart rate and performance to wearable tech that contain GPS trackers, motion sensors and temperature sensors that provide real-time information. This data allows coaches and trainers to produce optimal training for athletes while bringing the risk of injury to a minimum.

New technologies provide proven benefits for athletes. “These parameters can be used to detect position-specific patterns in movement, design more efficient sports-specific training programs for performance optimization, and screen for potential causes of injury. More recent advances in movement sensors have improved accuracy in detecting high-acceleration movements during competitive sports,” reported the National Library of Medicine.

While more advanced technology is usually reserved for higher levels of athletics, high schools have also started investing in new equipment. Pleasant Valley has recently been provided with funding for equipment like a drone for football film and TVs in the weight room.

Coach Joe Youngbauer notes the use of the drone through the high school football team. “The football program has been using the drone since the start of the 2022 season.  We use it to film our practice everyday.  From there, the footage is uploaded to Hudl, which is our web based video program, where players and coaches watch the film,” remarks Youngbauer.   

Football player Roman Saddler appreciates the benefits of the tools provided by the school. “The film the drones provide is the number one tool provided by the school. It makes it easy to visualize what we need to improve,” said Saddler. 

Additionally, the new TVs allow for quick communication of what needs to be executed in the weightroom, speeding up training and clearing up confusion. Advancements like the TVs provide significant upgrades in the school, overall improving the quality of life for athletes.

Most importantly, the new technology that is developed helps prevent injury and athletes from being overworked. The data provided allows coaches to make sure everybody is healthy and ready for practice or games.

The safety of athletes has always been the number one priority of coaches and trainers alike. These new advancements in technology will continue to improve the safety and health of athletes, allowing them to perform their best.