Music at practice! We had 3 players invited to UAB's "junior day" today. We got the requisite campus/athletic facility tour, recruiting sales job, and then got to watch their first scrimmage. Music played the entire practice. Warm ups, and scrimmage. It was high tempo electronic/instrumental music played at a volume that wasn't extremely loud, and such that if you weren't paying attention you didn't conscientiously notice it. Then found a new thread on a coaching site about it, that just recently started. Many coaches noting the same thing at universities across the country including OU, Cal, Michigan (Under Rich Rod), and Kevin Sumlin is doing it at aTm, Fedora is doing it at NC. Many HS coaches are now doing it, and all seem to find it increases tempo, and focus.
Some blast the music loud, and allow coaches and players to pick the music, while others do it like they do at UAB. Some do it only during certain periods, but most, if they do it at all, do it the entire practice.
Something I thought was interesting to see/hear for the first time. Contrary to what I would have thought, nobody was distracted by it or dancing around.
32 Replies
3778 Views