{"id":595859,"date":"2024-09-03T04:40:13","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T11:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=595859"},"modified":"2024-09-03T18:16:00","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T01:16:00","slug":"goswim-launches-app-designed-to-provide-data-centric-video-feedback-for-swimmers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/goswim-launches-app-designed-to-provide-data-centric-video-feedback-for-swimmers\/","title":{"rendered":"GoSwim Launches App Designed to Provide Data-Centric Video Feedback For Swimmers"},"content":{"rendered":"

GoSwim Launches App Designed to Provide Data-Centric Video Feedback For Swimmers<\/strong><\/p>\n

For almost two decades, GoSwim has provided videos aimed at helping swimmers improve, with world-class competitors demonstrating skills and drills for a vast audience, as well as other content involving swimming education<\/a>. Now, with the company\u2019s library of content<\/a> numbering around 3500, co-founder and 1980 U.S. Olympian Glenn Mills<\/strong> has rolled out his next innovative idea, a smartphone application designed to bring specific and personalized feedback for swimmers of all levels.<\/p>\n

At swim meets around the world each weekend, parents record their children swimming on their phones. Seems innocuous enough, but these videos might be shown to a swimmer once, then lost forever within the depths of the parent\u2019s phone memory. With the new GoSwim app, the coach is brought back into the loop, and even low-quality videos marred by obtrusions such as lifeguard stands and random passersby can become effective and powerful long-term teaching tools.<\/p>\n

The race video can be filmed through the app or through another smartphone camera and then imported. During filming (if using the app) or afterward, a swimmer or coach will mark up the swim by clicking the \u201cstroke\u201d button with every cycle, the \u201cturn\u201d button at the end of every lap and the \u201cfinish\u201d button at the end of the race. After that, a user can click the clipboard icon in the lower righthand corner to see a large collection of data, including breakout split, breakout distance, underwater velocity, stroke length, stroke rate, distance per cycle, 15-meter splits, turn time and lap time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the entire race, you can see what happens to somebody\u2019s stroke length or stroke length as they fatigue,\u201d Mills said. \u201cIf they negative split a race, you can watch how they\u2019re doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Race analysis in the new GoSwim app<\/p><\/div>\n

If a swim is recorded directly through the app, the videographer can categorize the race by stroke, distance and course. If a parent is filming the race, the video can be shared with the swimmer or coach through the app, and after a swimmer warms down, the coach can show the race video on an iPad while debriefing with the swimmer. The coach can add verbal commentary to the video and use annotation tool to point out areas for reinforcement and refinement.<\/p>\n

Then, the coach can pull up a list of athletes and tap the appropriate name, instantly sharing the video with a swimmer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve tried to create technology where coaches don\u2019t have to learn, and they don\u2019t have to spend any time uploading or downloading,\u201d Mills said. \u201cEverything just happens automatically. We have your full markup capability that you can make comments and add some critique to the video.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mills hopes that use of this new feedback app can help normalize the use of data in swimming and engage swimmers with these aspects that can be critical for improvement. The app will be in use this season with the Northwestern swimming program, for which Rachel Stratton-Mills<\/strong>, Glenn\u2019s wife, is the second-year head coach<\/a>. Stratton-Mills\u2019 swimmers will be sent their race videos through the app, and then they will add in their stroke and turn data individually.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis increases their engagement in the process,\u201d Mills said. \u201cAs the swimmers are adding the data, they\u2019re re-watching the race. They\u2019re now engaged with their stroke rate, stroke length, breakout point, underwater velocity, above-water velocity.\u201d<\/p>\n

And athletes far beyond the Division I level can benefit. Mills believes swimmers as young as 10 and 11 can benefit from adding in their data and engaging with the process of race analysis. Using the app, a coach can gamify the process of providing feedback.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to teach someone a new language, when is it best to do? When they\u2019re young or when they\u2019re old? We\u2019re teaching the language of stroke rate, stroke length, breakout point,\u201d Mills said. \u201cWhen those 11-year-olds are 14-year-olds, they\u2019re going to know so much that by the time the coach talks to them, they\u2019re going to know why they\u2019re supposed to do things.\u201d<\/p>\n