Fixes on the Fly: How Steilacoom High Uses Sideline to Make In-Game Adjustments
May 01, 2018
2 Min Read
Successful teams must be able to make immediate modifications. Sideline helped this Washington high school do just that.
Many times the difference between victory and defeat is the speed at which teams are able to make adjustments. Successful coaches are able to quickly recognize what’s going wrong and effectively communicate what the players need to change.
Instant replay through Hudl Sideline puts that ability into the hands of any coach. Being able to rewatch a play just seconds after its completion allows for immediate adjustments that previously might not have been recognized until it was too late.
“The most important piece for us is being able to make the adjustments on the fly rather than seeing it Friday night after you’ve seen the film,” Colby Davies, head coach of Steilacoom High School (Wash.), said. “Instead of making those corrections and adjustments for the following week, you can make them right away… All the stuff we’d normally do on Saturday and Sunday, we’re going to be able to do it right there.”
Sideline provided the Steilacoom staff with several game-changing insights last year. Davies recalls one opponent that was shredding his defense with power runs. After checking the video, Davies noticed a particular pulling technique being used by the opposing guards, and he was able to make corrections to stymie the ground game.
“That’s something we maybe wouldn't have seen until we got to the film that night,” he said. “It at least would’ve taken another series or two longer. We were able to make those adjustments and change the reads and the eyes of our linebackers and how we were going to counter.”
"Some of us football coaches think we’re too smart for our own good, and when we teach, we use verbiage that kids might not understand," Davies said of Sideline's value. "The showing is the big part."
Sideline’s end zone angle also gave the Steilacoom staff a new viewpoint. With this angle, Davies caught things the sideline or press box view couldn't see.
“Most times you don’t have that view,” he said. “If you ask the guys where a player is shaded or what alignment they’re in, you may not get the correct answer from high school kids. But Sideline allows you to make the changes and make the corrections.”
Once a coach recognizes a flaw, he must be able to get on the same page as the players. Video is the most effective way to do that. Instead of just words, the athletes receive visual stimuli to back up what their coach is saying and allows for faster, more effective learning.
Steilacoom went 9-3 in its inaugural campaign with Sideline, and Davis is already trying to get more iPads on the field this year. He’s seen the game-altering benefits of instant replay and now can’t imagine life without it.
“If you are not using Sideline, you’re at a huge disadvantage,” Davies said. “I think it’s part of the game and where the game is moving. If you’re not utilizing it, you’re not doing everything you can to put your team in a position to be successful.”
