College Coaches Maximize the Power of Video—Now It's Your Turn
Aug 17, 2018
2 Min Read
We caught up with some of the top coaching minds to discover how video has changed their programs.
Video has recently exploded in college athletics—most programs have dedicated several staff members solely to recording, breaking down and distributing video. Any team not using video risks getting left behind.
Your organization may not have the massive budgets or seemingly-endless staffs of colleges, but this doesn’t diminish the importance of video.
John Cook, Nebraska volleyball head coach
“Video is huge for us,” Mark Turgeon, the head men’s basketball coach at Maryland, said. “We use it in a variety of ways, whether it’s teaching our team, teaching individual players or putting together scouting reports. We watch a lot of video. It’s paramount for what we’re trying to accomplish as a basketball program."
We compiled a few tips from the pros to showcase video’s power and help new adopters get started.
Break the Team into Small Groups
The term “film session” brings to mind images of an entire team packed into a room watching one screen as a coach lectures. While these meetings have value, players might receive more relevant information when addressed in segmented groups or one-on-one sessions.
“We do a lot of video sessions with specific groups,” Texas men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart said. “There might be three or four guys in our point guard group. Those guys are watching a lot of video together with a position coach or maybe with me as a head coach.”
Brandon Gilliam, head coach of the national champion BYU men’s soccer team, agrees. If you break the game into smaller, targeted chunks, athletes are more likely to absorb your lessons.
Brandon Gilliam, Head coach of the national champion BYU men's soccer team
Watch Right before Practice
Illustrating your point right before hitting the court or pitch will ensure its impact. This limits the space between hearing your instructions and putting them into action, making your guidance much stickier.
Take 10-15 minutes before practice to show video of positive moments and things to work on. As your next contest approaches, share clips of your opponent’s most popular plays or sets to familiarize athletes with what they’re about to face.
This is a common practice for many college teams. If your athletes learn this process early on, they’ll have a great chance of success at the next level.
Brandon Gilliam, Head coach of the national champion BYU men's soccer team
Keep Things Positive
While video plays a pivotal role in correcting mistakes, your athletes could grow to resent it and tune it out if you only show flaws. To keep their attention, throw them a few bones, too.
Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook shows five positive plays for every teaching moment. Highlighting good performance not only develops a bond between coaches and players, but it also creates positive muscle memory and keeps your audience engaged.
Shaka Smart, Texas men's basketball coach
These are just a few ways video can make a major difference. And it’s not only for college and professional coaches—this power is available to you, too. See how Hudl can change your program.
