SCOTT CAULFIELD,
COACHING EDUCATION MANAGER/HEAD STRENGTH COACH
Over the past year and a half, I had the opportunity to use the CoachMePlus (CM+) technology platform, which I would classify as a sports performance data management system.
“As a strength and conditioning coach evaluating new technology in the sports performance realm, I see CM+ as a potentially useful tool for tracking athlete information with one centralized system.”
Leveraging this kind of information, coaches can quickly uncover high-performance trends and key sport science indicators, making faster, smarter game-day decisions. The system can also manage all of a team’s sport science data in one central location.
“I decided to use CM+ with the collegiate hockey team I train, moving away from my “safe and comfortable” Excel-based programs to learn a new system and method of centralizing my testing data.”
With the assistance of CM+ staff, I was able to upload all my athletes’ basic information (height, weight, etc.) as well as current testing data from the season easily.
What I was now able to do, with respect to comparing data, was made my workload less (than with Excel) and make the data much easier to view and understand for my sport coaches. In addition to keeping testing data, I also used the athlete monitoring features, which I found helpful. Athletes were able to input their data on the app via their phone or a tablet in the weight room, which made it very efficient for them and easy for the coaches to monitor.
Key features I like as a strength and conditioning coach:
- Ability to create reports and dashboards for each team
- Ability to create custom tests and algorithms based on my strength and conditioning program
- Information is accessible to athletes through an app and team access is achieved through tablets
- Ability to integrate wearable measuring devices
- Ability to assign and track workouts through the Program Builder and Assessment Monitor
Related benefits from a sports science perspective:
- Track and manage athletic performance with daily monitoring and assessment
- Decrease likelihood of fatigue-related, non-contact, soft tissue injuries
- Improve communication between athletes, coaches, and administrators
“As is true with a number of solutions on the market, the CM+ system serves as a way to impact coaches and athletes at every competitive level—from high school to professional and the varying levels of collegiate competition.”
If you choose to integrate technology into your strength and conditioning program, you can benefit from the ability to assign and track workouts and monitor hundreds of athletes as well as update training programs throughout the off-season using phones, tablets, etc. In addition, coaches with more sophisticated sports science programs can integrate various wearable measuring devices to get the data output they want through various reports and dashboards.
“The NSCA is pleased to use tools like CM+ to leverage the effectiveness of real-time sports performance as coaches and trainers.”
The NSCA is committed to assisting our members as they affect the future of the strength and conditioning profession.
Scott Caulfield – NSCA
CSCS*D, RSCC*D, Coaching Education Manager/Head Strength Coach
Scott Caulfield is responsible for the day-to-day supervision and training of all athletes, interns, and coaches at the NSCA’s 6,000-square-foot Performance Center at the NSCA National Headquarters. He also serves as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Colorado College Men’s Ice Hockey. Coach Caulfield works diligently to promote the NSCA and its coaches, including work with national governing bodies such as the United States Olympic Committee, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, U.S.A. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, U.S. Figure Skating, U.S.A. Hockey, and U.S.A. Ultimate. He has been a certified member of the NSCA since 2003 and served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Dartmouth College.
From 2007-2009 he was the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach and Director of Camps for the back-to-back American Basketball Association Champions, Vermont Frost Heaves. In 2007, the Frost Heaves were named by Pro Basketball News the Best Team in minor league basketball (including NBA D-League, CBA, IBL, and USBL). Most recently, he spent 4 years as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Colorado College Hockey in addition to his duties at NSCA Headquarters.
Coach Caulfield is a former NSCA State Director (Vermont) and Strategic Planning Committee member (2010). He has successfully completed courses/certifications with the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (level 1), USA Weightlifting (level 1 & 2), Functional Movement Systems (level 1), Movement Training Specialists (level 1), TRX, and ASAE (Leadership Training).
Note: This review is based on Coach Caulfield’s use and opinion on the CM+ system and does not constitute an endorsement of the product by the NSCA.
