Tigard, Ore., high school football coach Craig Ruecker doesn’t recoil from using computer technology. But at 62, it doesn’t exactly come naturally to him, either.
“On the whiteboard in our coaches’ office, they have ‘Rueck’s instructions,’” Ruecker said. “No. 1, turn on the computer. No. 2, hit this button.”
Still, despite his lack of expertise, even Ruecker can’t deny how the latest innovations have enhanced his job in his 35th season as a head coach.
This season, Tigard signed up for Hudl, a service that allows teams to catalog video of games and practices online. Accessing the secure site, coaches can analyze and edit video, make notations, and eMail the clips to players. They also can exchange game footage with other teams that subscribe to the service.
“All the young guys on my staff are really excited about it. I’m still trying,” Ruecker said. “It has wonderful capabilities. The coaches have been playing with it all summer long, taking game films and putting them on to Hudl.”
More than 100 Oregon high schools—and 6,000 across the country—subscribe to Hudl. The company, which began at the University of Nebraska in 2006, doubled its client base in July when it bought out Digital Sports Video, a competitor that had become a popular choice among Oregon schools.
Nebraska was the first team to use Hudl in 2007, and the New York Jets became the company’s first NFL client in 2008. Nine schools in the Pacific-12 Conference use Hudl, including Oregon, which signed up last year, and Oregon State, which joined this year.
Hudl charges high schools $800 per season for the full service, or $200 for video exchange only.
“It adds a lot of value,” said Sunset, Ore., coach Faustin Riley, who started using the service last year. “There are a lot of different things we can do with it. For what they give you, it’s very reasonable.”
Ruecker said the service allows for more focused instruction.
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