Hi all. I (Fraser Harban) Just returned form a quality convention and trade show – the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in Baltimore. Really impressed with many things – not least – boy do they know how to put on a great event and I now have a rather large selection of NSCAA branded goods!

So what really struck me the most was the knowledge, dedication and passion of the coaches on the ground. Every single one who visited the stand (quite a few I can tell you) really wanted to see what the HotSpot had to offer and how it could help their sessions and ultimately their teams.

Hi there!  This time I am going to explain the timing modes that are available on the Hotspot systems and where they may be used.  This should help in identifying how the Hotspot may be incorparated into your training programmes.

Here is a link to the Peak Performance Magazine that features hotspot on page 11.

http://www.gameseducation.co.uk/images/webgraphics/295.pdf

Make it Count – Team Hotspot

Welcome to the first “drill” post on the Hotspot blog.   In this post I have created a drill to train/coach/test elements of the “flow” step used in variety of situations within tennis.

The “flow” step is commonly used as a means of defending wide balls that have caused you to be on the run and over stretched.  The “flow” step allows you to hit the ball on the move and implement a braking method allowing quick and efficient recovery back into the court.  I am going to provide 3 variations of the drill and alongside each provide some coaching tips and analysis.

Hello, Fraser here with my first blog…
Just felt inspired to write about something that I did yesterday with some young kids from social housing locally to here – no great sainthood on the horizon but very humbling and highlights a few points….

The background to this is the fundamental core of Games Education as a company – the one thing that led Mike and I to set it up. Not making huge sums of money (although maybe one day it would be nice to pay off all the loans!) but the strong belief and desire that every child playing sport and exercise should be able to use techniques and equipment similar to the professionals…

In the past people (including me) have been critical of mini tennis as it hasn’t been adopted across the rest of the world (until recently) and that other countries have managed to produce world class tennis players the “good old fashioned way”.

Well firstly, the UK is not the rest of the world and let’s face we have to do stuff differently due to the culture of the country.  With that said perhaps mini tennis is the way forward.

Mini Tennis Videos

WARM UP

PAIR DRILLING

POINT PLAY AGAINST THE COACH

MATCHPLAY

In the past people (including me) have been critical of mini tennis as it hasn’t been adopted across the rest of the world (until recently) and that other countries have managed to produce world class tennis players the “good old fashioned way”.

Well firstly, the UK is not the rest of the world and let’s face we have to do stuff differently due to the culture of the country.  With that said perhaps mini tennis is the way forward.

ok..so sometime has passed since the last post and that doesn’t mean nothing has been going on in the world of Hotspot.  Recently we have been at a variety of Premiership football clubs and spent sometime abroad in New York and Qatar.

It is a wonderful time to be involved in sport however there does seem to be some major differences in approach in the UK and abroad.  Standing at the side of a high school football game with 2000 people was a bit odd since it is unheard of in the UK.  The approach that testing and measurements are key and that each individual strives to be the best they can be regardless of stature are stark contrast to my experience in the UK  particularly in schools.  On more than one occasion I have been told that scores and times encourage elitism and leave the weaker behind.  Is this not the case in the real world?

Funnily enough our local MP when asked about a multi million pound sports village to be built in rural Worcester had a similar opinion in that it would not benefit the community.  In aspects of understanding British culture he may well be correct as are we actually motivated to achieve or mollycoddled into a sense of averageness?

The can  do attitude of the American people could do us all a favour in the UK in times of difficulty.  Do we simply look for someone to blame or find the solution?  Hotspot and Games Education are in the mind set of striving to be the best when it comes to our sport and training.  If you want to achieve in sport whether it is getting fitter, playing pro or in my case getting a free education in the states on a scholarship you have to put the time and effort in from a young age..like it or not!  Going back to the sports village what better way to motivate the local community to achieve than providing an opportunity to succeed?  Ok, so I have a had a little rant and in all honesty it is a free following dialogue that is just putting some thoughts out there.  I would love to hear back from anyone who reads this with there opinions on things raised in this rant and check back for more thoughts and feelings.

hope all is good…and make it count!

Hotspot has broken into the English Premier League.  Blackburn Rovers under the guidance of fitness and sports science professional Mark Howard contacted Games Education Ltd a few months back requesting to see the system in action.  Obviously we were more than happy to put the Hotspot through it’s paces at the wonderful facility that is the Senior Training Ground at Blackburn.  The Blackburn staff seemed impressed with it’s simplicity and wide applications.  A few weeks later Games Education had an order for 4 Hotspot XL systems and again were invited to deliver a workshop on the system and how best to integrate the system into the Blackburn set up.   Coaches were again very receptive and even took part in a variety of exercises.

Mark Howard, Head of Fitness later commented on the hotspot system and had this to say;

“Hot Spot offers a really easy and affordable tool for measuring a player’s ability to perform a specific task. It is really quick to set up and can be manipulated by changing the start settings and timing modes making it a great way to benchmark a squad on any given functional drill or practice.

I like how simple the kit is and the fact that it has the potential to be used across a range of departments in the club including sports science and medical departments at both first team and academy level.”

see images at…

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=166260966717463&set=a.166260953384131.42210.100000006814523

www.gameseducation.co.uk

Due to recent demand for additional split timing function Games Education has reacted and produced Hotspot XL. Hotspot XL has the same standard HotSpot functions, time and count modes with 3 starting options but now comes with split timing mode (St). St mode takes a snapshot of the time as each pod hit is received. The result is flashed alternately with it’s corresponding pod number.

Existing Hotspotters can upgrade their system should they want to. Please see the Shop at www.gameseducation.co.uk/shop.asp for pricing.