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AD Insights: Everyone Is a Student of the Game

Learn how an independent college prep school in Tennessee used Hudl to teach athletes and parents the value of video analysis.

Things at McCallie work a little differently. As an independent school, they have more opportunities than usual to give their students the very best, including access to premier academic curriculum and superior athletic programs. Do-it-all coach, teacher and administrator Adam Tolar knew Hudl could help them expand this excellence. 

McCallie was already using Hudl, but only in an a la carte capacity. “We were recording everything,” Tolar said, “from weightlifting sessions to gameplay.” But having the entire athletic department on Hudl would help McCallie make the most of the suite of products, including benefitting from unlimited storage. Tolar went to the school board to champion the athletic department package. It has since transformed McCallie’s athletic potential.

The ‘Hudl’ Guy

Tolar is now known as the “Hudl guy.” At first, his main responsibility was assisting with training coaches new to Hudl. Their upgrade into a full department package came with customized education for coaches that Tolar helped organize. This training enabled coaches to apply what they learned into game plans. 

Now, almost every sport at McCallie has a coach educated in Hudl’s products. But Tolar still thinks they haven’t unlocked its full capacity. He’s excited about the ability to get better.

Accountability is McCallie’s mantra, and it works both ways for coaches and athletes. Hudl’s text effects feature allows Tolar to pose questions directly on film clips. If an athlete doesn’t answer a question, he knows they haven’t completed their assignment. Conversations through video ensure athletes found and understood corrections so they could make them in practices and games.

Hudl has also created a growth pipeline for McCallie’s young athletes. “Middle school athletes don’t know how to watch film,” said Tolar. With their athletic department package, McCallie could begin the film education process at the middle school level. 

The younger teams can access practice film to help them learn proper techniques. With Hudl, they’ll understand earlier on what they need to do to reach the varsity level.

You Never Stop Learning

Teaching is a cornerstone for Hudl with the entire McCallie sports community. “It’s brought players and parents into the fold, and created transparency,” said Tolar. 

At the start of term, Tolar meets with parents to educate them on Hudl’s features, and the right things to look out for. That way they can cheer on their athlete from afar and play a role in their development. 

Hudl’s easy-to-use features help hold athletes accountable for their actions. They can watch, analyze and use footage to focus on the important aspects of their game. Products at Hudl have made McCallie athletes true students of the game.

The Right Way

For Tolar, Hudl provides peace of mind and confidence. He knows their products offer McCallie’s athletic programs the best. And with superior customer service, he has a whole entire team of assistants ready to support him. 

In a world where the standard is changing, and learning is crucial to success, let Hudl help your school learn the right way.