Cincinnati Reds鈥� director of Sports Science Initiatives discusses technology in sports
Visit the annual Consumer Electronics Show and you鈥檒l likely see a man scoping out any number of technological advances. He鈥檚 always looking for an edge. It鈥檚 his job. While the venue may be a bit of a surprise considering his position, Charles Leddon 鈥� the director of Sports Science Initiatives for the Cincinnati Reds 鈥� told an audience at 花季传媒 that he looks everywhere for tools that can increase his players鈥� performance.
Leddon, PhD, ATC, CSCS, spoke inside Walter Hall Rotunda on Jan. 25 as part of the College of Health Sciences and Professions鈥� (CHSP) Grover Lecture Series. The series was established by Ann O. Grover and her husband, Brandon T. 鈥淭ad鈥� Grover Jr. and brings nationally recognized speakers to OHIO to address health-related topics.
Leddon spoke to a room filled to capacity about technological advances in the field of athletic training. Although his mention of using the Consumer Electronics Show as a breeding ground for ideas to apply to his profession initially drew some chuckles from the audience, Leddon quickly explained his rationale.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the one conference I make sure I go to every year because I have to know what鈥檚 coming next. If I don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 coming next, I鈥檓 behind,鈥� Leddon said. 鈥淭he stuff that comes from the Consumer Electronics Show, is amazing. Eye trackers on virtual reality systems that can tell us where somebody is looking when they鈥檙e doing tasks and suits that you can put on that have printed circuit boards on them 鈥� It鈥檚 amazing the things you have to learn and keep up with to live in this world.鈥�
He addressed students studying to become athletic trainers, physical therapists, strength coaches, or even university professors, as examples of professions that must keep up with technology.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to have to know how to deal with all of these different devices in all of these different fields because they鈥檙e all going to integrate,鈥� Leddon said.
Leddon鈥檚 lecture was comprised of technological subjects pertaining to general sports science, including athletic training, orthopedics and strength and conditioning. His discussion completely resonated with the audience while referencing referencing CHSP pillars Larry Starr and Frederick 鈥淔ritz鈥� and Marge Hagerman. The three helped change the landscape of Major League Baseball with groundbreaking ideas and techniques surrounding athletic training, exercise physiology and nutrition. They were also part of World Series championships with both the Reds and the Florida Marlins.
鈥淥ur history has driven us to where we are now, and we are expanding on what those pioneers did to help drive us to the next level,鈥� he said.
The audience listened intently as Leddon discussed how NASA technology can be utilized to track biological systems on baseball players, how wearable trackers deliver real-time information on athletes and how sleep studies have vastly improved efficient and peak performance ability.
With virtual reality advancements, baseball players can learn to see different types of pitches, speeds and angles without the use of an actual pitcher. A virtual bat can be placed in the hands of the user, and computers can track the speed and angles of contact with a baseball and identify how the user鈥檚 body was positioned at the point of contact.
Leddon cautioned that technology has its drawbacks. He said many companies will claim a device can do things it simply cannot do with scientific accuracy. Many are not properly vetted which is why he invests time in determining the products that have the highest probability of successful integration at the professional level.
鈥淜eep your eyes open,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 always know where its coming from, but the next big thing is usually always just around the corner.鈥�