Any associations use HUDL?

[stfo]

Trying to find out if any associations use HUDL?  If you do how much is it?  Looking in to purchasing it for us next year.  Is there a difference in price if we are just going to share video rather than posting?  How hard was it to get the teams (coaches) to share the game film with you?  It seems like it could be a great tool for training, but could also become a monster if all you get are the plays the teams have issues with.   

[Kalle]

We use Hudl here in Finland. We are fortunate that the Finnish Football Association has mandated video sharing through Hudl for the top two levels, so we get the same video as the teams share between themselves. Our plan is $1000, I think, which is covered by the FFA.

[Magician]

How many members in your association? They have an unstated policy of 200 max per team. The system doesn't limit you to 200 "players" however. Price is likely either $800 or $1400 per year. One key difference is the use of a Presentation tool. It was recommended to us by another association, but we haven't used it.

We are fortunate that almost every one of our schools also use Hudl. Over the course of the season we received about half the games. Crews that put some effort into asking the schools generally got 80-90% or more of their games.  All but a handful of crews received at least 1 game and 75% of the schools provided at least 1 game. We provided a sample card for crews to share instructions with coaches in pre-game and encouraged crews to follow-up via email if they did not receive a video.

I strongly recommend doing this. It is worth every penny.

[cougar729]

We've used HUDL for 3 seasons and have increased the number of games we have gotten back each year, this season we were at basically 100%, 95% were week after game, a few coaches were stragglers.

We create a 1 play playlist and use that to set up 2 way exchange with a note askin for the game.  The coaches will typically accept the same day since they are notified of a new exchange.

Once we get the exchange we share it with the crew

[HLinNC]

The NCHSAA signed us all up last year.  Prior to that myself and another official purchased an Exchange account for $200, billable to a major credit card.  It only allows you to exchange and download video with no bells and whistles but there are other apps or programs you can use once you download it to your PC to telestrate, cut clips, etc.

Coaches in our area have been so-so about it.  Of course before that, my DVD return rate hovered around 50%.  The state supervisor of officials declared this summer that schools who failed to submit their video to the officials need not send clips to him wanting them reviewed.

Hudl divided NC into two accounts- East & West with half of the state's associations in each.  The schools are supposed to upload to their region's account and then the RSO's have access to go in and locate their area schools and parcel the games out to that particular game's crew.  The crew members can then make playlists, diagram on screen and share amongst themselves or any other member they wish.

I haven't received every game this year but I've not pushed as hard to get them since the state kind of took over the lead.  The coaches know so if they aren't sending them in, me browbeating them for it isn't going to lead to success either.

[bossman72]

How many members in your association? They have an unstated policy of 200 max per team. The system doesn't limit you to 200 "players" however.

We have over 400 "players" and we've never had an issue/complaint from Hudl.

We do the $800 option, which does everything we need it to do.  Let's you telestrate, create playlists, share, etc.

If you just want to be able to see the video, there's a $200 option that doesn't really let you do anything but see the video.

[NJOfficial]

We use it in NJ and I cant comment on cost and the administrative side.  Many coaches do not send in complete game film, but they are quick to send in clips that they feel a bad call was made.  This is my second year as an official and have not gotten any games through Hudl.  I have talked to some other officials and most are in same situation. 

Our association does do a good job of sending out weekly videos through Hudl for training purposes.

[HLinNC]

There are several keys to success in getting game video.  Coaches by nature are a suspicious lot and don't really want to let video loose, even though they sign up all their players for accounts and the stuff gets shared rather quickly.  I pointed out to one coach in particular several years ago that in this day, any fan can sit in the stands with a mobile phone or an iPad and film a game and have it up on YouTube before he gets home on Friday night.  (In fact, I tested my theory by filming a quarter of one of my son's JV games earlier this season with my iPad.  The quality was quite good- I just need to purchase a tripod mount adapter and zoom lens as the standard iPad lens is a bit wide focused for a football game)

The greatest key is cultivating some sort of solid relationship with the coaches.  Wings are in a better position to do this as we are somewhat having to be poiticians anyway.  I always seek out the team's "Hudl guru" on my sideline and remind him to please have the video uploaded to us over the weekend when he gets time.  Some of our referees are also including a request and our Hudl account name on their crew card they give the head coach.

Having the state office get behind it is always helpful.

[NJOfficial]

There are several keys to success in getting game video.  Coaches by nature are a suspicious lot and don't really want to let video loose, even though they sign up all their players for accounts and the stuff gets shared rather quickly.  I pointed out to one coach in particular several years ago that in this day, any fan can sit in the stands with a mobile phone or an iPad and film a game and have it up on YouTube before he gets home on Friday night.  (In fact, I tested my theory by filming a quarter of one of my son's JV games earlier this season with my iPad.  The quality was quite good- I just need to purchase a tripod mount adapter and zoom lens as the standard iPad lens is a bit wide focused for a football game)

The greatest key is cultivating some sort of solid relationship with the coaches.  Wings are in a better position to do this as we are somewhat having to be poiticians anyway.  I always seek out the team's "Hudl guru" on my sideline and remind him to please have the video uploaded to us over the weekend when he gets time.  Some of our referees are also including a request and our Hudl account name on their crew card they give the head coach.

Having the state office get behind it is always helpful.

Maybe I am being naive, but what are coaches suspicious about?  Don't they exchange game films with their opponents already? And like you said anyone can sit in stands and record the game anyway.

We have someone in our chapter in constant contact with coaches trying to get them to send in game videos.

[HLinNC]

Suspicions center in two areas- 1) Let's say you are an official and your brother coaches at School X.  Game film isn't like legal discovery in court where the prosecutor has to turn over every scrap of evidence they have to the defense.  Coach at School Y is nervous you may let brother at school X have access to what you have in your library.  Locally, most schools have a policy that they will not share conference member game video with schools that are out of conference.  This usually arises during the early rounds of the playoffs.

2) Coaches are perfectly happy for you to look at clips of what their opponents are doing illegally.  They are not so keen as to watching and picking up tendencies of things they might be doing.

[Magician]

Suspicions center in two areas- 1) Let's say you are an official and your brother coaches at School X.  Game film isn't like legal discovery in court where the prosecutor has to turn over every scrap of evidence they have to the defense.  Coach at School Y is nervous you may let brother at school X have access to what you have in your library.  Locally, most schools have a policy that they will not share conference member game video with schools that are out of conference.  This usually arises during the early rounds of the playoffs.

2) Coaches are perfectly happy for you to look at clips of what their opponents are doing illegally.  They are not so keen as to watching and picking up tendencies of things they might be doing.

Correct. A concern may be they were willing to share game A with the other team, but not games B, C, and D. You know the other school is getting whatever video they want from someone on another team who has it.

We had some schools resist sharing video for this reason, but then we would get schools sharing another school's video to have someone look at a specific play for clarification.

We had a coach late in the season tell us they did not share because they did not have permission to share the OTHER team's video. How is that different than sharing it with another team? I explained the other coach had shared video all season so he was OK with it. We still didn't get his video.

Fortunately our crew received at least 1 video from every game this year. It has been a huge help for us to discuss scenarios and review our work. If most of the schools in your area are using it, you are crazy for not getting your own account. Even if you only have 100 members, the cost is only $8 per. I know crews that would get 15-20 guys together to buy an account and they felt it was worth every penny.

[NJOfficial]

Last week we had a controversial call that a coach sent in which was called correctly but the coach did not send in the entire game just the one play.  They should require coaches send in entire game if they want specific plays evaluated.

[Rulesman]

Last week we had a controversial call that a coach sent in which was called correctly but the coach did not send in the entire game just the one play.  They should require coaches send in entire game if they want specific plays evaluated.

As an assignor, I have no problem just getting specific plays. I WILL NOT respond to a complaint without the film. All must be in writing, and I will respond (in the interest of full disclosure), whether good or bad, to them, to the crew, AND to the opposing coach. That works really well for us.

[HLinNC]

Excellent policy, Rulesman.  Fair to everyone and on record.

[JasonTX]

We have been using it for 3 years in our chapter.  I watch every game and then add comments to any plays that I have an opinion of.  As for getting the video.  I have a 1 play trade video that I send as a request to trade to both teams we are working.  By Monday of each week, if I haven't received the video by then, I am on the email or texting the coach asking them to send the video.  I get 100% of the games from the teams that have HUDL, but we only have 2 or 3 that don't have HUDL, but usually their opponent does so I end up getting it from them.

[TXMike]

We are using it at the State level in Texas also.  Some schools choose to send video in to the State as opposed to the Chapter that actually worked the game.   That video is typically just playlists which is actually better than getting the whole game.  The way HUDL is right now, there is not enough space in the exchange box to let coaches articulate the specific plays they have issues with so it is better if they send a refined list. But even then, they typically have to email also with the concerns and play numbers.  Our Houston Chapter HUDL guru has discovered a way coaches can send videos with notes embedded but requires a bit of effort.  I suspect in the short term that may be a process we use for US to send clips back to the coaches with our notes embedded but not sure how many coaches know how to do this for what they send us. 

Some incorrectly assume that they can put their notes in the videos and then do the exchange and we see everything.  But does not work that way as the notes disappear in the exchange process. 

You will likely find that as you move into the HUDL realm you get more video than you ever did before.  This is good and bad.  You may have been thinking everyone is doing a great job but now you actually see them and realize that is not the case. Plus, just because we get more video does not mean guys are getting worse.  It is just so much easier for the coaches, they may be sending in what they would have in the past were it not so difficult.  Just like with crime, sometimes higher numbers just reflects better reporting not actual rise in crime, more video may just mean easier process than more complaints.

[NorCalMike]

Mike, You can actually include the comments and other stuff with the HUDL. During the exchange there is a box to check to share notes.

[Magician]

Mike, You can actually include the comments and other stuff with the HUDL. During the exchange there is a box to check to share notes.

That's true when sharing a video within a team. It's not true when exchanging a video with another team.

[stfo]

Thanks for all the replies.  Our association is not very big, about 55 officials.  Mike I believe you are correct in saying that getting more video is not always a good thing.  If it is used correctly, with training, I can see  how it is a benefit for the association.  But then you have the guys that will have issues being "questioned" as to what happened.  As far as mechanics go the video will show were you where you needed to be to correctly "rule" on that particular play.  Rule knowledge is a huge component of officiating, but I believe that proper mechanics is just as important.  Were you where you needed to be. 

[HLinNC]

Some officials are more receptive than others.  We must remember that the camera is in a fixed location and doesn't portray all angles.  However there are some things that are evident and we can learn from.

You can see if someone hustles or is walking around at the end of the play.  You can see how their signals look.  You can see that late hit that didn't get called because the official had turned to get another ball from the sideline.

You might not see the ball cross the goal line or the receiver step out of bounds.

The key is to always remind your group what the goal is, which is to get better.  Those that huff up are going to anyway, it will just be about something else if you don't use it.

[TXMike]

Mike, You can actually include the comments and other stuff with the HUDL. During the exchange there is a box to check to share notes.

The only way I know of to do this when sending outside the "team" is to use the Presenter application to create a presentation which allows you to embed notes and telestrations and then create a public link which you can give others.  They can then view the video with notes

[NorCalMike]

The only way I know of to do this when sending outside the "team" is to use the Presenter application to create a presentation which allows you to embed notes and telestrations and then create a public link which you can give others.  They can then view the video with notes

Never realized it was different outside the team.