This is the Future…

Coaching in the Age of Innovation: How AI and Technology Can Enhance the Role of a Coach

From high school fields to professional football, one constant has shaped my journey: the critical role of the coach. Coaches are more than strategists— they are mentors, teachers, and motivators.

The lessons they impart stretch beyond the game, impacting players for life. As someone who benefited from the wisdom of great coaches, I recognize how essential their role is. Yet, in today's fast-evolving sports landscape, the tools available to them are transforming, and coaches must evolve, too.

We're standing at the intersection of tradition and technology. Coaching has evolved over the decades, and so must the tools coaches use.

The rise of AI and data-driven insights has opened up new possibilities to make coaching more efficient. However, as these tools flood the market, the critical challenge is using them without losing the human touch that defines excellent coaching.

The Power of AI

Time Saved, Focus Preserved

AI's most immediate value isn't replacing coaches but taking repetitive tasks off their plates. Think about the hours spent reviewing game film, managing statistics, and manually tracking athlete performance.

These are necessary functions but don't need a coach's full attention. Automating these tasks gives coaches back valuable time—time they can use to focus on what truly matters: developing talent, motivating players, and refining strategy.

More than just automation, AI can sift through mountains of data from wearables, athlete management systems, and game-tracking tools. The flood of information can overwhelm, but AI helps filter it down to what's truly useful—transforming data into actionable insights.

Instead of sifting through endless reports, coaches can get straight to the heart of the matter. How is a player's fatigue impacting performance? What three adjustments will have the most impact next game? With AI, coaches can get these answers faster, empowering them to focus on game planning and making a difference in real time, and feeling more in control and confident in their roles.

The Evolution of Coaching with Technology

That's not to say AI replaces the core of what makes a coach successful. The timeless principles of mentorship, motivation, and strategy stay the same. Technology should enhance these strengths, not undermine them.

It allows us to focus on the bigger picture, providing deeper insights while freeing us from the minutiae that can drain time and energy, and providing much-needed support to coaches.

I've seen this firsthand as a player, and in my current role, I help coaches integrate technology into their daily processes. The transition can be challenging. Old-school methods have built many winning programs. However, today's athletes need more individual attention and personalization than ever before, and technology can help deliver that without straining coaches' time or resources.

MyCoachingTree's platform perfectly reflects this—helping coaches stay connected, upskill, and leverage new technologies to improve their work. These innovations don't diminish what makes coaches great; they simply amplify it.

A Path Forward

As we look to the future, I encourage my fellow coaches to embrace technology as a partner. Whether through AI-powered insights, data consolidation, or automating routine tasks, technology can allow coaches to be more effective where it matters most: on the field, helping athletes reach their full potential.

The modern coaching landscape is not about choosing between tradition and innovation; it's about finding a balance that works. In that balance, technology can provide the tools coaches need to become even better at what they already do so well—developing, motivating, and leading the next generation of athletes, and making them feel more at ease and open to change.

About Kerry Carter

Kerry Carter, a former NFL and CFL player and two-time Grey Cup Champion, now leads Atavus as CEO. He combines his sports experience with technological innovation. Originally known for tackling analytics, Atavus has evolved into a cutting-edge sports technology company.

It now employs AI, machine learning, and computer vision to provide coaches and organizations with data-driven insights and streamlined workflows. Under Kerry's leadership, Atavus is pioneering the integration of advanced technology in sports, empowering coaches to enhance their impact both on and off the field.

This approach aligns with Kerry's passion for mentorship and his dedication to developing the next generation of sports leaders while redefining how technology serves the sports industry.

4 Essential Steps to Empower Your Athletes in the Recruiting Process

In the highly competitive world of college athletics recruiting, high school coaches play a crucial role in guiding their athletes toward success. By implementing these four key strategies, you can maximize your athletes' opportunities and help them manage the recruiting process more successfully.

1. Amplify Your Athletes’ Visibility with Technology

Get your athletes, and their information, where college coaches recruit: online! By using an athlete evaluation platform, you can significantly expand an athlete’s reach— connecting them with college programs that offer the best match.

Instead of repetitive, time-consuming manual or offline tasks, you can use technology to share an athlete’s information once and have it accessible to college programs at every level. Plus, by choosing a platform that’s free for both you and your athlete, every student has the opportunity to be recruited, regardless of their financial situation or participation in showcase camps. 

2. Prioritize Verified Data

Coaches need verified data to make informed decisions about an athlete. College coaches are inundated with athlete information, but trustworthy data sets prospects apart. A player's measurables – such as height, weight, and athletic performance – are only valuable if coaches can rely on the data’s accuracy.

Guide your athletes to prioritize data verification, whether through third-party validation (like camps operated by college coaches) or by providing visual evidence such as videos. To keep it efficient for your team, encourage sharing their information on a single, centralized evaluation platform seen by coaches at all levels. Verified data not only builds credibility but also increases opportunities for your athletes, making their recruiting efforts more valuable for everyone involved.

3. Provide Detailed Athlete Evaluations

As a coach, you know your athletes better than anyone. College programs rely on your insights to understand an athlete’s physicality, character, and potential. Comprehensive evaluations should highlight key intangibles such as leadership, work ethic, and coachability, while also offering comparisons that can help a college coach project an athlete’s likelihood of success.

This might sound cumbersome, but today’s technology allows you to do evaluations quickly and in a format accessible by all interested coaches. The insights you offer help college coaches make informed decisions on how a player might fit into their program. Your perspective greatly influences an athlete’s recruitment. 

4. Protect Athletes from Predatory Services

Unfortunately, the recruiting landscape has its share of pitfalls, particularly when it comes to scouting and recruiting services that charge athletes and their parents for promises of scholarship offers. It's crucial to educate your team on the reality —only college coaches can recruit and offer scholarships. Steer your athletes away from paid services that provide little value or genuine connections.

Keep your athletes focused on recruiting activities led by college coaches. Have them prioritize responding to college coach information requests, thus showing their interest and attentiveness to the recruiting process. Your athletes should spend their time and energy improving their skills, maintaining strong academic performance, and showcasing their abilities through legitimate conversations with college coaches.

Boost Your Team’s Recruiting Success 

By implementing these four steps, you can significantly enhance your athletes' chances of getting recruited. You have an impactful role to play in recruiting, helping your athletes navigate the complexities of recruitment while focusing on their personal and athletic development.

For those interested in leveraging technology to help your athletes get recruited, platforms like Scorability offer a huge recruiting database and thoughtful player evaluation process. Scorability is used by football programs across all divisions, from Power 4 to JUCO, and already hosts more than 50,000 high school athletes.

It allows high school coaches to manage team rosters, provide secure evaluations, and ensure data verification – all key aspects of the strategies discussed above. The platform is free for athletes and high school coaches, bringing equal opportunity to athletes everywhere. To learn more or to start managing your team's recruiting efforts through this platform, visit: https://www.scorability.com/coaches/

College coaches at every level use Scorability to evaluate and recruit athletes.

In the News: New Training Research Indicates Better Practices for Athlete’s Mental Health

ADHD and Anxiety Medications: A Hidden Risk for Athletes in the Heat

As coaches and athletic staff, our primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and well-being of our athletes. Recent findings have shed light on a potentially dangerous intersection between common medications and heat-related illnesses in sports. This article aims to raise awareness and provide guidance on this critical issue.

The Growing Concern

Recent heat-related deaths among student-athletes have prompted athletic trainers to investigate potential contributing factors. One area of concern is the increasing use of prescription medications for ADHD and anxiety among student-athletes, which may heighten the risk of heat-related illnesses during physical exertion in hot conditions.

Key Points for Coaches and Staff

1. Prevalence of Mental Health Medications:

   • Nearly one in three college students uses some form of psychotropic medication.

   • About 35% of elite athletes experience mental health issues such as disordered eating, burnout, depression, and/or anxiety.

2. Heat-Related Risks:

   • Medications for mental health conditions can increase the risk of heat stroke by:

     • Constricting blood vessels

     • Inhibiting sweating

     • Raising blood pressure and core temperature

     • Decreasing perception of fatigue

     • Putting strain on the cardiovascular system

3. Understanding the Mechanism:

   • During exertion, blood vessels normally expand to dissipate heat.

   • Stimulants and other medications can interfere with this cooling process by constricting blood vessels.

4. Lack of Clear Warnings:

   • Many medications don't explicitly list heat stroke or exercise-related risks on their labels.

   • The FDA has updated warning information for some ADHD medications, but these don't specifically mention heat stroke risks.

Action Steps for Coaches and Staff

1. Awareness: Educate yourself and your team about the potential risks associated with ADHD and anxiety medications in hot conditions.

2. Open Communication: Create an environment where athletes feel comfortable disclosing their medication use.

3. Individual Monitoring: Pay extra attention to athletes known to be taking these medications, especially during hot weather.

4. Adjust Training: Consider modifying practice schedules and intensity during extreme heat for all athletes, but especially those at higher risk.

5. Hydration and Cooling: Emphasize the importance of proper hydration and provide ample opportunities for cooling during practices and games.

6. Recognition and Response: Train all staff to recognize early signs of heat-related illness and have an emergency action plan in place.

7. Consult Medical Professionals: Work closely with team physicians and athletic trainers to develop safe training protocols for athletes on these medications.

Conclusion

As the climate continues to warm and the use of mental health medications among athletes rises, coaches and athletic staff must stay informed about these intersecting risks. By understanding the potential dangers and taking proactive steps, we can better protect our athletes and create a safer environment for sports participation.

Remember, this information is meant to raise awareness, not discourage using necessary medications. Always consult with medical professionals for personalized advice regarding an athlete's health and safety.

Helping Coaches Manage Their Careers

Canva for Sports Teams: Revolutionizing Marketing for Coaches

In today's digital age, effective marketing is crucial for sports teams at all levels. Whether you're leading a professional team or volunteering as a local coach, creating eye-catching promotional materials is essential for attracting fans, sponsors, and players. Enter Canva - a game-changing tool that's transforming how sports teams approach their marketing efforts.

Why Canva is a Coach's Best Friend

Canva offers a user-friendly platform that allows coaches and team managers to create professional-quality designs without any graphic design experience. Here's why it's becoming indispensable for sports marketing:

1. Versatility: From social media posts to flyers, banners, and even merchandise designs, Canva covers all your promotional needs.

2. Time-Saving Templates: Access thousands of sports-specific templates that you can customize with your team's branding.

3. Cross-Platform Accessibility: Create content on desktop or mobile, perfect for last-minute updates from the sidelines.

4. Brand Consistency: Maintain a professional look with locked elements and branded templates.

Key Features for Sports Teams

Video Creation

Engage fans with dynamic content:

• Edit highlight reels and player spotlights easily

• Create animated videos for social media platforms

• Access a library of free and premium stock footage

Print-Ready Designs

Promote your team in the community:

• Design professional flyers and posters

• One-click printing with free delivery options

• Sustainable printing choices available

Social Media Management

Grow your fanbase across platforms:

• Resize designs instantly for different social media channels

• Schedule and publish posts directly from Canva

• Access platform-specific templates for optimal engagement

Asset Management

Keep your team's visual identity secure:

• Set permissions for different users and assets

• Safely store and share licensed photography and videos

• Organize assets in team folders for easy access

Getting Started with Canva

1. Sign up for a free Canva Teams trial

2. Explore the sports-specific templates

3. Upload your team's logo and set brand colors

4. Start creating and sharing your designs

By incorporating Canva into your marketing strategy, you'll save time, maintain consistency, and create professional-looking content that elevates your team's brand. Whether you're promoting game day events, sharing victory celebrations, or attracting new sponsors, Canva provides the tools you need to succeed both on and off the field.

Remember, great marketing can be the difference between a packed stadium and empty stands. With Canva, you're equipped to create winning designs that will have fans cheering before the game even starts!