Goliad High School’s Impactful Journey to Safer Football
How the Athlete Intelligence System Transformed Goliad ISD Athletics and Redefined Head Impact Monitoring
In the realm of high school football, where safety and performance intertwine, the Athlete Intelligence System has emerged as a game-changer for Goliad High School. Savannah Dillard, the dedicated Athletic Trainer at Goliad ISD Athletics, shares insights into the profound impact the Athlete Intelligence Head Impact Monitoring system has had on the football program.
Excitement Over a Decline in Head Injuries
Savannah Dillard expresses her initial excitement, pinpointing a decline in head injuries as the most anticipated outcome of implementing the Athlete Intelligence System. Dillard underscores the system’s role in highlighting the number of impacts players endure, emphasizing how this insight has become pivotal for their program. The ability to identify individual head impact patterns has been a transformative tool.
Valuable Metrics: The Key to Player Safety
The Athletic Trainer emphasizes the significance of precise data, particularly the exact location of head impacts for each player. Understanding the nuances of each player’s hitting style has become instrumental in ensuring player safety. Dillard believes the program is now more aware of daily impacts and their specific locations, fostering a culture of heightened awareness among the coaching staff. This newfound insight has the potential to reshape player performance and safety.
Data Communication: A Team Effort
Communication is key, and Dillard ensures that the insights gathered are shared with the athletic director, who then disseminates the data to the coaching staff. This collaborative approach fosters a unified commitment to player safety. The system has proven its worth by identifying potential issues that may have gone unnoticed. Dillard acknowledges that while she was aware of concussion numbers, understanding the “why” behind them has brought team-wide awareness.
Feedback and Advice for Aspiring Programs
In her advice to other sports programs, Dillard champions Athlete Intelligence for those seeking increased awareness of head impacts, injury prevention, and a comprehensive understanding of impact locations. Dillard shares a lesson learned—the boys hit hard. While not all high impacts result in head injuries, prevention is paramount. The additional layer of monitoring has proven to be a safeguard for their well-being. 
Goliad High School’s journey with the Athlete Intelligence System is a testament to the transformative power of technology in high school football. As they continue to leverage data-driven insights, the promise of safer and more informed gameplay shines brightly on the horizon. Athlete Intelligence has become the extra “eye” that safeguards the health and well-being of Goliad’s young athletes.
About Athlete Intelligence
The Athlete Intelligence system is an innovative way of tracking head impacts, which can help reduce the risk of injury. The system allows for real-time alerts and helps improve athlete performance. The data generated by the system helps identify patterns in head impacts and shows the effectiveness of proper tackling techniques. Reports and analytics provide coaches with valuable information on their athletes, allowing them to make informed decisions and adjust training accordingly.