Hudl Sportscode is the Leading Edge of Video and Data Analysis for Field Hockey

There is no substitute for the efficient and effective output of Hudl Sportscode. In a championship-caliber program like the University of North Carolina, the software helps Chris Fry keep his finger on the pulse of the Tar Heels team.

Fry is currently in his fourth year with the USA Women’s National Team. In September 2019, he became the University of North Carolina Women’s Field Hockey team’s first-ever performance analyst.

“I oversee all aspects of the data and video needs of the program,” Fry said. “Scouting opponents, coding during games, and after games. To individual work, training and GPS data.”

The vast needs of the program required a skilled analyst to adapt and innovate vital team processes.

With almost a decade of professional experience in field hockey analysis, Chris Fry trusts Hudl Sportscode to drive performance, maximize his role, and connect his coaching staff.

His efforts helped the Tar Heels finish the season undefeated, securing their second consecutive Division I national championship.

Fry said the sport as a whole stays on the leading edge of technology.

“We’re quite lucky in field hockey, in terms of technology, we’re quite progressive,” Fry said. “It’s been a part of the game for a long time. So having that already established makes it easier for me.”

Field hockey is quick to leverage new technology. The need for elite programs to communicate and exchange information effectively is done by utilizing technology centered around speed and impact.

Fry has seen the results of deploying these types of solutions on the field and observed better lines of communication for core staff members occurring before, during and after games. Output reports help him maintain communication by delivering timely video and data

“I can make the report windows so it’s easier for the coach to watch the game instead of clicking lots of rows in the timeline or the matrix,” he said.

Sportscode has been the world’s leading analysis solution for years. But Fry says having data isn’t enough. Making the data actionable, and presenting it at the crucial moments, has set his teams apart.

Fry pushes himself as an analyst to have an impact on every part of team performance. Not just scouting and training, but in-game and coaching decisions. He says Hudl Sportscode is integral in his process.

Key functions in Hudl Sportscode have proven critical for Fry and the UNC coaching staff. Analyzing set pieces through databasing keeps the team prepared to limit scoring chances. 

“Some 40% of goals will come from a penalty corner,” he said. “So that's a vital aspect to get right. What do they run? What are we going to do to counter that?”

Being prepared is important. But helping shape in-game decisions in the next level for analysts.

Fry says mirror coding enables him to relay key insights in-game to the sideline and opens two-way communication with coaches who want to mark important moments for review.

The adaptability of Hudl Sportscode to identify stats and clips based on the needs and perspectives of the coaches is critical. Having the figures that shape in-game decision making readily available has been a difference-maker for Fry.

This type of communication centered on video and data has helped Fry grow his role as an analyst and become an indispensable asset. He suggests a commonsense approach to identifying your team’s bespoke video and data needs.

Once he identifies bespoke coaching needs, Fry tracks and supplies those moments to coaches. Over the course of a season, he runs high-level reports to visually present large datasets. 

But while the innovative visualizations he prides himself on may start in Hudl Sportscode, the adaptable approach he takes in his role has him working in conjunction with other software. He says that’s not a problem thanks to Hudl Sportscode’s flexibility.

In a sport that prides itself on leading the way with technology, Hudl Sportscode checks all the boxes for field hockey. It’s the industry-leading solution that delivers adaptable workflows for faster, more effective analysis to compete at the highest level.

Don’t fall behind. See how Hudl Sportscode can keep your field hockey program ahead of the game.

To see how you can equip your team with the tools to take on your greatest challenges, contact a Hudl Representative here.