A district-wide athletic department package brought collaboration and time-savings to this Texas high school.
David Gonzales, assistant football and baseball coach at Texas’s Katy Tompkins High School, is a fan of the collaboration formed by having the whole district on Hudl’s athletic department package.
“We all use Hudl in the district, and we can trade tips and set guidelines—we even have a Hudl section in the district bylaws,” Gonzales said. It’s common for him to approach other coaches pregame to share Hudl tips and best practices.
David Gonzales and other coaches and AD's describe the ease of use of the Focus camera—and the value it's brought to their programs.
Getting a Leg Up With Assist
Hudl Assist has been especially helpful to the football program as a preparation tool for both the offensive and defensive staff. They send their game film and get it broken down quickly and in great detail. “We get the breakdown for the whole game—lots of charts and graphics,” Gonzales said. “The coordinators like looking at the tendency charts that [Assist] provides. It saves our coaching staff time.”
The time savings brought by Assist give the staff a competitive advantage going into a game weekend. Plus, the Tompkins staff has been impressed with its functionality. “You can click on clips and see the actual plays and formations,” said Gonzales. “It’s pretty easy to use.”
Taking Pride in Preparation
The athletic department package isn’t just impacting the football team—it’s benefiting the athletic program across the board. The basketball and volleyball teams each use Hudl Focus, and have had success with it, according to Gonzales. He cited girls varsity basketball, who last year won the district championship and made a deep playoff run. “We all take pride in the preparation we undertake at Tompkins,” said Gonzales.
Preparation is one central theme that emerges. Another is saving time. Focus Outdoor is coming to Tompkins this year, and Gonzales is looking forward to the efficiency it’ll bring to the coaching staff. “It’ll free up someone on the staff from having to set up equipment,” he said, “and [Focus] doesn’t miss any of the action.”
Expanding Focus from the gym to the field will allow the whole athletic department at Tompkins to continue to grow and operate efficiently. “It really is for all the programs to use,” Gonzales said. And he means it. Both cheerleading and band have an account, and baseball uses a tight and wide camera setup. The tight camera focuses on the hitter and pitcher, and the wide camera has a view of the whole field.
“It’s neat to see the parents get involved. They want to help their kids study [film]. The athletes are teaching their parents about the game. It kind of brings everything together.”
A Teaching Tool for Athletes and Parents
What’s Gonzales’ take on Hudl’s most important offering? He’ll tell you it’s the ability for athletes to better understand coaching points, learn from their mistakes, and see their growth throughout the year. It’s also been a great tool to get the parents engaged.
“It’s neat to see the parents get involved. They want to help their kids study [film]. The athletes are teaching their parents about the game,” said Gonzales. “It kind of brings everything together.”
With Hudl’s athletic department package, athletes of all levels and sports at Katy Tompkins are given the chance to maximize their skills and reach their potential.
Looking to bring the same opportunities to your athletic department? Hudl’s athletic department package has the tools you need to set your program—and athletes—up for success.
