OJVA uses technology as a way to include parents that want to be active in club, team and athlete success.
Obviously, at first, I didn’t know what I was doing, but the more you get in and play with it, it’s pretty easy to figure out.
For a club as large as OJVA, with 13 teams consisting of almost 40 coaches and 200 athletes, the obligation to record practices and matches as well as tag stats loomed large at first. But OJVA staff, like club director Steve Suttich and U15s coach Juno Cruz, saw these jobs as an opportunity to include parents who were eager to contribute.
The club enlisted the help of parents for such foundational tasks. Parent volunteers contribute to club performance, recruiting and player education by equipping coaches and athletes with video and data for every match.
Paul Scott is an example of a “Hudl Dad,” a term coined by OJVA athletes who see Scott in practices and at tournaments assisting coaches. Scott records training sessions and matches so that coaches can focus on developing players. From there, he uploads film to Hudl and even submits matches to Hudl Assist.
“Obviously, at first, I didn’t know what I was doing, but the more you get in and play with it, it’s pretty easy to figure out,” Scott said.
By entrusting Scott with these tasks, coaches aren’t tied up in logistics. Instead, they’re free to focus their energy on developing athletes and helping them reach their potential.
Paul’s daughter Sophie is a middle blocker on the OJVA 18s Gold. With a shared knowledge of Hudl’s video and data tools, the father-daughter duo spends time together watching film and studying stats.