Teaching/Learning

Online playbooks: provides 24-hour access to installs, quizzing and video resources.

Screen capturing apps: create voice over install videos that put the coach in the room with the player.

Assessment Tools: online assessment tools allow for both formative and summative learning opportunities.

Video Library: online film libraries are common, creating ease of access and great evaluation tool

Virtual reality applications: VR has become a staple in the top D1 programs in the country and is beginning to trickle down to the high school levels. 

Branding 

Social Media- Decide which social media outlets will most effectively reach your stakeholders.  

• Create content that informs and supports your mission/vision/purpose 
•  Update Content continuously, the life cycle of information is much short in the social media world
• Create a content distribution plan: when will you update, what content is useful and who is my target audience going to be. 

Content Sharing: apps that allow parents, players and staff to share photos, videos and other media create a great connecting point. It also allows the head coach to consistently reinforce their values to the entire program. 

* Always find sites that allow the head coach to screen all posts or additions prior to posting. 

Player Development

Performance Training: online strength apps and GPS monitoring are now common and it allows strength coaches to monitor athletes 24/7

Sleep Monitoring: There are numerous apps that monitor sleeping habits and actual sleep patterns. When used correctly these can be an invaluable tool for performance development. 

Nutrition: the number of nutrition apps are too numerous to count. However, we can now track an athlete’s daily nutritional intake without keeping a handwritten journal.  Nutrition is often the missing link in the high school performance paradigm. 

Mindfulness: We must train our athletes in a holistic manner. Stress management, mindfulness and breathing now have their place in our athlete’s performance programming. 

Program Organization

Equipment Inventory: digital platforms store and track all equipment handouts, turn in and reconditionings. This is a huge time and money saver. 

Shared Documents: by creating shared documents/folders coaches and players can work simultaneously and from the comfort of their home. As a staff we have found this to be essential in our practice and game planning procedures. 

Digital Classroom Platforms: online classrooms allow coaches to communicate with their program in a transparent and instantaneous manner. 

Program Handbook Webpage: various digital outlets allow a coach to create a website that can house the entire program handbook. Instead of printing off hundreds of pages and then handing it out only to find it crumpled in the back of the locker room, create a website that has a drop down for each of the key systems in your program. This creates a linear, clean line of access to anything that is related to the program from tactical, technical, physical and cognitive philosophies. Each area is searchable and archived making retrieving informatino as easy as typing in a keyword.

Players

Problem: Considered “digital natives” because they have grown up with it their entire lives. Please don’t confuse activity for accomplishment in this area. While the kids can navigate their social media outlets and gaming apps with their eyes closed, other simple technological tasks can prove to be extremely difficult for them. 

Solution:

• Utilize winter/spring off season opportunities to include teaching proper use of technology. 

• Social media awareness
• Online thumbprint (using the internet correctly) 
• Proper email structure 
• Executive functioning skills on smartphones (setting reminders, alarms, calendars) 
• Digital Ecosystem use- teach how to login , navigate and the expectations for each app your program utilizes.
• Digital Ecosystem Organization: have players create a digital ecosystem control center on their phone that houses all of your programs apps. This will allow for quick access and ensure everyone is on an even playing field.  

Parents

Problem: Not digital native/ Lack of connection or buy in to tech within the program/ Awareness of technology being used in program. 

Solution:  

• Create monthly support meetings to help parents learn how the program uses a digital ecosystem and how they can tap into that system.
• Create a monthly newsletter that has a “tech corner” highlighting a specific app and how it is used for the betterment of their son or daughter in your program. 
• Always have analog ways of communicating so that you do not alienate anyone from the program. The program must always provide options. 

Staff

Problem:  Dealing with both digital and non-digital natives/ Lack of buy in to technology and its usefulness within the program. 

Solution:

• Create standard operating procedures for each application and how it will be used in your program
• Provide tech support for coaches who need extra attention in the process.
• Create a mentoring program by pairing digital natives with those who need to develop in their technology skills. 
• Prepackage your digital ecosystem on any tablets that the program uses so that coaches can access them in one location.