Swimming Goes High-Tech

2/6/2016

Abingdon Vale Swimming Club has gone high-tech with 2 AquaCam Coach-Comm kits which allows their Swimming Coaches to communicate directly with swimmers wearing waterproof headsets. This direct radio connection means that real-time coaching can be provided on technique, as it happens in the pool, during training sessions.

Local Business Applications Provider, Cloud9Apps, based in Station Road, Henley on Thames, has stepped in to help Abingdon Vale by funding the kit, which was new on the market last year.

Cloud9Apps Managing Director, David Ross said "Swimming is a demanding sport requiring commitment and development of skills. As in business, we decided that anything that would help the coaches was a great investment in the club and the swimmers, and we look forward to seeing the results"

AVSC HeadCoach Amanda Ford took receipt of the training aids poolside and put them to use straight away. The waterproof headsets sit over the ears and at the back of the neck and don't interfere with any stroke, even Butterfly. "We'll be able to tweak stroke technique and provide encouragement directly 1:1 or to a group of headsets - its fun too and there will be no escape!"

The Swimming Club competes across Oxfordshire, the South East and Nationally and believes in maximising all swimmer potential through skills, nutrition, dry land training and fitness. CoChair Julia James said "AVSC is a non-profit making club with 150 members from all around the area - we rely on benefactors and sponsors like Cloud9Apps to make such purchases possible".

About Aquacam: Based in Austin, USA, the CoachCom solution was released last August http://aquacam.us/news

HeadCoach Amanda Ford receives CoachCom from Cloud9Apps David Ross

Ben Wright and Tappy Ross with HeadCoach Amanda Ford

The CoachCom Headset

About Abingdon Vale Swimming Club

Abingdon Vale, a Swim 21 accredited club, has been a competitive swimming club since 1993. As one of the most successful clubs in the County, we were crowned Sports Club of the Year and Coach of the Year in 2011. The club continues to build on this and is growing in numbers, being based out of Abingdon and Radley Pools. We now have more swimmers than ever before who are winning County and Regional medals and qualifying for the British and National Championships

2 Comments

Kathy Banadaki

6/2/2019 22:19:20

Hi, I'm trying to find a solution for my daughter's problem hearing her coach and hearing the music underwater whilst doing synchronised swimming. She has a hearing impairment. Do you think the aquacam technology may help? I was thinking she could hear the coach via it but also if g he transmitter was put near the music speaker on the poolside, presumably that would also transmit the music,? I'd really appreciate any advice. They're expensive to buy so don't want to go ahead if it's not likely to work! Or do you know of any other clubs that use them and may be I could borrow one to try? I live in Nottingham. Thank you, any advice appreciated.

John

14/2/2019 10:47:45

Hi,
The Aquacams were good and there is a function to play music playlists - to quote their website: "The system can also be used to transmit any mp3 audio device, or be programmed to submit an audible tempo beep to the swimmers to maintain ideal pacing".

The system is really good but the batteries in the headset did fail after about 18 months and they are a sealed unit meaning replacement headsets. So we need a new sponsor to help get them back in use.

With one transmitter, you 'talk' to up to 3 headsets - either individually to coach technique or all 3 together. The performance of the headsets in the water is good, not coming off or getting in the way of stroke, and volume through the contact point working well.

If you can get the funding, its a good tool.

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