Mobile Apps for Youth Sports
By Extra Innings' Rob Nash for GalTime.com
mobile apps for youth sports
Kids' sports are in full swing and there's not one parent who isn't interested in giving his or her child a leg up on the competition.
In recent years, the high pressure put on youth sports has transformed what used to be a casual, fun way for children to develop motor skills, learn the concept of sportsmanship and teamwork, foster social and interpersonal skills, and stay active into a stressful and overwhelming experience for parent and child alike.
Any parent who has children involved in a school sport or recreational league can attest to the increasing pressure and intensity of the programs-longer, more frequent practices and year-round training are non-negotiable for kids who want to be at the top of their game.
It's a parent's dream to raise an All-Star athlete-but at what cost? Depending on the sport, personal training and coaching sessions can be wildly expensive, and with parents' and kids' already busy schedules, not everyone can devote the extra time and commitment these sessions require.
Related: Top 10 Ways to Know You're too Wrapped Up in Your Child's Sport
According to The Most Expensive Game in Town: The Rising Cost of Youth Sports and the Toll on Today's Families by Mark Hyman, many families feel compelled to budget for extra lessons, clinics and products for their children in today's hypercompetitive world of youth sports-which has become a $7 billion industry.
While many businesses are profiting from this boom, there are many companies looking to provide more affordable ways for parents to keep their kid in the game. As smart phones and tablets continue to gain traction in the marketplace, it's no surprise that there are a number of mobile apps available that provide personalized professional coaching tools to parents looking for a convenient and affordable way to give their child the training they need to remain competitive.
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These apps help parents in coaching and developing their child's natural talent or work with building skills from the ground up. For example, Extra Innings-a state-of-the-art indoor baseball and softball training facility with over 40 locations nationwide-launched a Mobile Instructor App in August 2011.
The app allows parents to record and upload videos of their child playing their sport and then provide their own commentary using a "white board" technique. The user can also choose to submit the recorded video to Extra Innings instructors, many of whom are ex-Major League and Minor League ball players, to receive professional analysis within 48 hours of submission.
Whether you're a parent with little knowledge of a sport looking to give your child a leg up or an elite player who is having a bad day during a tournament, an app like this can help improve any player's game. Additionally, if players are already receiving personal instruction, these videos will make in-person sessions more effective.
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