Baseball Toolbox

Resources for Baseball Coaches

Using Google Drive to Coach? There’s a Better Way

Are you really getting the most out of your film with Google Drive? Check out all the advantages of using a software system instead.

Whether you’re an educator, or working in the corporate world, you’re probably all too familiar with the intricacies and benefits of a digital file-sharing system. They’re ubiquitous, and for good reasons. But when it’s time to put on your coaching hat, are they the most efficient option?

After all, with a coach’s plate already way too full, convenience and comfort will always rule the day, right? But a file storage system like Google Drive doesn’t operate on the same level as fully customizable, cloud-based storage software.

We get it. Your setup isn’t ideal. You’d like to level up, but you’re worried about being overwhelmed, over-charged, or both. But more and more coaches are turning to programs like Hudl for getting the most out of their film. They’re compartmentalizing it in such a way that’s easy for everyone involved—and gives them more bang than they bargained for. Here’s a litany of reasons why.

Easy to Organize

Google Drive really isn’t meant to be used how coaches use it. It’s difficult to organize, filter and share. When you upload film, there are no tags, no playlists, and no attached notes for teaching points. You have to do all that heavy lifting on your own, which can take hours on end.

Want to see how efficient you are with a certain play? Want to see how your players are taking care of the little things that make the difference on the court? With a system like Hudl, you can arrange your film however you like, in a manner that’s easier for athletes to digest. And if your stats are on Hudl, it’s even easier to find and share the moments that matter most. (There’s definitely no way to link stats to video on Google drive.)

More Accountability and Clarity

Google Drive doesn’t show how much time athletes are watching film, so it’s hard to hold your athletes accountable. With Hudl, you’ll know who’s doing their homework and who’s not. You’ll be able to track how long your players are watching film, and what they’re watching.

Need to communicate your points with crystal clarity? Intuitive analysis tools let you draw on top of the film, or stop the action to call up notes that point out something on screen. Try doing this with Google Drive and you’ll end up shelling out big bucks just for the requisite video editing software.

Unparalleled Speed and Convenience

Unless you’re stopping the film periodically—which, in a fast-moving sport like basketball, runs its own risks—you’ll likely be spending some time cutting up the film before you upload it to Google Drive. That can sometimes take hours. If you only have a limited amount of time, you can’t afford to be handcuffed by the clumsiness of hitting the “forward” and “rewind” buttons over and over.

With Hudl, the film is ready for you to tag to your modifications. You can even eliminate the tagging with Hudl Assist’s interactive reports, which tie advanced statistics directly to video. Want to see how a certain set looked against a zone defense? You can create a playlist for it immediately.

As a coach, you not only want as much information as you want. You want it instantly, while that brilliant thought you just had is fresh in your mind. Say you’re preparing for an opponent that runs a complex defense you haven’t seen since last season, and want to see how you played it that last time. How long would it take you to go digging through your archives just to find the right game, never mind what you’re looking for from it?

Whatever your analysis workflow looks like, Hudl’s custom tools adapt. Distribution to your players and staff is as simple as the push of a button. You can simply call up a playlist, and text it out to all the necessary parties that need to see it, all without skipping a beat.

Support When You Need It

Have you ever heard this from your staff?

“Oh my God! I accidentally deleted it!”

Or maybe it’s, “S$*!! I didn’t mean to go in and delete that tab!”

We’ve heard it a lot. That’s why awesome technical support from a Hudl representative is only a call, email, chat or tweet away. Our experts think like coaches, so we’ll always have a good understanding of what problem you’re trying to solve.

Like sharing files. It hasn’t always been easy. But with a program like Hudl, everything you share with your staff and your players is essentially read-only. Only you can edit or delete what you put up there, leaving no room for error and more control over your film.

Maximize Your Recruiting Potential

“I tell my guys, if you’re trying to get a scholarship based on buckets, you’re getting nothing,” says University High (Orange City, Fla.) coach Robert Soler.

Nobody gets an opportunity to play at the next level based on stats alone—college coaches want the whole body of work. That means game footage and advanced data. Pace-adjusted stats like turnover percentage, rebounding percentage, plus-minus and points per possession can tell a lot about a player’s efficiency when they’re on the court, especially in limited minutes. Hudl Assist tracks all of these stats and more, plus they’re tied right to the video, making it easy for any coach to comprehend.

Set Them Up for a Bright Future

Just like holding a basketball doesn’t make you the next LeBron, merely sharing game film with your athletes doesn’t make them film buffs. If your athletes want to play at a higher level, they’ll need to know how read stats and watch film. If they don’t have that discipline, they’ll fall behind quickly.

College conferences are heavy on the film-sharing. Subsequently, the best college athletes routinely find themselves combing through video clips and scouting reports, trying to study up on how they’ll defend the next player they’re guarding. High school athletes need to be doing this, too.

Don’t have them look at film just to look—stoke the film geek in your players by having them understand how the numbers come together. Another reason there’s tremendous value in interactive reports that tie every data point directly to video.

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There are countless ways Hudl can create more efficiency for your staff during the season, not to mention the countless ways coaches are already using Hudl’s tools to win more. Ready to see the difference for yourself?

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