As a college football player, I had the opportunity to observe Division 1 players frequently. Somewhere along the line I started to pay attention to how they interact with their playbooks, game plans, and other learning materials.
It didn’t take long to notice that paper handouts were a waste. I hated getting paper copies of game plans and I wasn’t alone. Why? I knew that I would misplace it or lose it. We would end up stuffing them in a backpack where it was out of sight and out of mind. And we knew that it would be irrelevant tomorrow because it would be replaced by an updated game plan or scouting report.
I needed it to be digital. We would have loved the ability to access our playbook information on our phones or computers. Playbooks and game plans are constantly evolving, and so should we.
I’m amazed that so many coaches are still trying to teach their players using paper and chalkboards. This is how it was done 50 years ago. Advancements in technology have given us the capability to create a collaborative and interactive learning environment that will greatly improve player development. So here’s the question: Is your program taking advantage?
Playbooks and game plans should be dynamic, not static. Football coaches should be able to change, tweak and adjust them on the fly and make those updates instantly available to players.
Studies show that interactive learning is far more effective than traditional teaching methods. This is how players need (and want) to study. Players should be able to interact with the materials you prepare. They should be able to ask questions – wherever they are – if a concept needs to be “reinforced”.
At Just PlayTM we are developing an individualized learning environment for players. That’s what we do. We let them study playbooks, installs, and game plans how they want. We let coaches quiz players and track how they are using our system.
It is a simple concept. More knowledge, more confidence, more wins. And we can get there by allowing kids to study on the devices they are constantly using. The average person looks at their phone once every six minutes. Why not give players the ability to study every six minutes?
At Just PlayTM, we’re building ways for coaches to do less (less time, resources, paper, etc.) – but better.