University of Wyoming Incorporates SV4 into their Training Program and Camps

Tom Johnson has served as a USA Swimming National Team Coach, a 4-time USA Swimming Select Camp Coach, and the current head coach of the University of Wyoming's men's and women's teams. TJ has been on deck for over 24 years and has seen training equipment come and go. But after only a few short months using his SV4 system, Johnson has told his swimmers and campers, "...this may be one of the best things I have ever bought in my career."

"We have been (recording) 90% of all practices and 100% of any practice that has swims for time or race simulated sets." Johnson says. He and his staff have taken full advantage of the variety of different camera configurations and angles of analysis made possible by the SV4 package. "Every day we use it we try to do something new and see the angles we get and views we get." It did not take long before Coach Johnson noticed the impact that the SV4's unique camera perspectives can have on a swimmer's stroke analysis and improvement. "I was working with one of the freshman women on our team about entering in front of her shoulder in free for 6 months during the season. In literally 10 minutes (with SV4), she fixed it. I was blown away and immediately sold on the value of this tremendous tool."

The Wyoming coaches have also integrated their SV4 package into their spring training camps. Coach Johnson employs a simple but efficient and effective camera configuration to maximize his time with his campers. "We are taping every kid in our stroke and intensive training camps. We have a side shot tracking them off the (cart camera), a front shot on each end of the pool, and a side shot to record turns at our shallow end. We have each kid do a 100 IM and (then) a turn in each stroke on the shallow end with a side and front shot and the (cart camera) shot to get all the break outs." In just a few minutes, TJ and his staff are able to record all four of a swimmer's strokes and turns. Once the daily recording sessions are completed, Coach Johnson uses his wireless microphone and External DVD Recorder (EDR) that is included in his SV4 Silver Package to create personalized DVDs for each of his campers. He accesses a swimmer's recordings on his DVR quickly and easily using his log sheets and DVR search functions, and then uses the comprehensive playback functions of his DVR to analyze the swim. He can play the swim in any speed and direction and pause the recording at any time to illustrate a stroke correction he is asking the swimmer to make. "I can slow things down or stop it all together and make specific points on each swimmer's DVD," says Johnson. He can even choose to show all 4 channels at once in order to draw connections between them or just a single channel that best illustrates his point. All of his analysis is captured by the EDR, including his audio commentary and instructions. Once he finishes with that swimmer's recording, the EDR initializes the disc and it's ready for distribution to the swimmer. As Coach Johnson and the Wyoming staff have discovered, producing a detailed video and audio analysis of your swimmer's performance is just that easy.

For more information about the University of Wyoming's training camps and swimming and diving program, please visit http://www.wyomingathletics.com/sports/c-swim/wyo-c-swim-body.html