National Pro Fastpitch Selects Blast Technology to Advance Player Development with In-game Metrics
(Carlsbad, Calif., April 19th, 2017) National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) has selected Blast Motion as the Official Sensor Technology, allowing Blast Softball 360 to be used in-game to capture swing metrics for every player at bat in the 2017 season. The Blast sensor will provide NPF teams and coaches with contextually rich and actionable information, allowing them to better understand how player performance changes between practice, warmups, and game play. All player hitting metrics will be captured on the sensor in offline mode during the game and then synchronized with the Blast Connect services cloud post-game, allowing coaches to review their team’s performance, provide detailed swing analysis, and player feedback.
“As the top level of competition in our sport, NPF understands the unique value of capturing objective metrics data in real-world game situations and trending results over time,” said Cheri Kempf, NPF League Commissioner. “Our goal is to contribute to the overall development of athletic talent of all ages by giving softball players access to the same opportunities as big-league baseball players. By using Blast technology, NPF will be the first professional franchise to allow swing metrics to be captured for all players at bat, in every game, for an entire season. The first-time ability for our players and coaches to utilize this data is a game changer for our athletes and will establish a new industry baseline as they work to build their professional portfolios.”
Blast Softball 360 utilizes the same technology that powers the Official Bat Sensor Technology of Major League Baseball® to deliver the industry’s most accurate swing analysis. The Blast sensor and mobile app have been specially designed to combine video and metrics driven swing analysis, helping players of all ages and skillsets understand and improve their swings mechanics, while learning how to hit with more power and efficiency. The waterproof sensor and bat attachment slip over the knob of any standard softball bat, allowing it to be used on or off the field for practice or in-game.
“It’s going to be fun watching a new generation of young softball players leverage technology to advance their careers,” said Michael Fitzpatrick, CEO, Blast Motion. “It’s also becoming increasingly clear that metrics will play an important role in how an athlete advances from youth participation leagues to elite travel and select teams, and how a player’s metrics history will assist in player recruiting for collegiate and pro teams. Our goal is to help athletes enjoy the game more, improve faster, and avoid injury.”
During practice and training sessions, the Blast mobile app and patented Smart Video Capture™ technology uses a smartphone camera to capture video, while the Blast Softball 360 app intelligently analyzes, combines, and syncs swing metrics with the video to deliver real-time, mobile video analysis. The app automatically detects a player’s swing and clips the video to create a series of video highlights. No user editing or practice interruption is required to experience this groundbreaking functionality.
Blast Connect further automates online and offline sensor data collection with a fully integrated suite of software analysis, coaching, communication and management tools. Blast Connect gives coaches the ability to review an athlete’s practice sessions, assign drills & workouts, analyze metrics, and provide remote coaching through powerful video analysis, voiceover, and markup features.
About National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), an Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball since 2002, provides elite female athletes with an opportunity to pursue a professional career in diamond sports beyond their collegiate success. The NPF affiliate teams consist of the Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Scrap Yard Dawgs, Texas Charge and USSSA Florida Pride for the 2017 season. National Pro Fastpitch players hail from the United States, Australia, and Canada, among which are the most accomplished and talented athletes in the sport of women’s softball. For additional information on NPF, please visit: profastpitch.com
About Blast Motion
Based in Carlsbad, California, Blast Motion is defining the future of wearable motion capture technology. By combining the industry’s most complete performance improvement solution and real-time metrics analysis with auto-curated video highlights, Blast Motion has created a contextually rich user experience that enhances the way people capture, analyze, and improve their game. For additional information on Blast Motion, please visit: blastmotion.com
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