Using smart watch as a coaching aid

I was wondering if there were any strategies or tips for using a smart watch as a coaching tool. As it is wearable during play, and offers lots of possibilities, I was curious if anyone has developed tips for use. Things I have thought of are:

• List of strategies and tactics that can be consulted quickly during a game.
• Reminders set to go off periodically during a game about certain tactics or tips
• Maybe even messages from a coach that can be read quickly between points.
• Checklist of drills to be completed during a training session.
• Voice memos of successful tactics in game

The convenience of having this on your wrist during play must have some potential. Some of these may be too distracting to be practical. Of course, fitness and energy expenditure can be recorded (Apple Watch even has a Table Tennis setting for a workout).

Any thoughts or ideas for use would be appreciated.

Thanks.

lasta said:

I'm a minimalist. No watch, no hat, no bandana, no sweatband, and if it was more socially acceptable, no shirt. TT is best played focused, nothing but you, the table, and person on the other side, everything else is a distraction.

I think flicking through a smartwatch during play is irritating. Why read from a 1 inch screen when you can speak to someone in person? The time it takes to "locate" a memo on a smartwatch, you might as well go and pick up your phone, or better yet, an organized notebook.

IMO, hearing aids could help, preferably focused. But I'd imagine the CHO spitters would become even more irritating.

Slight yellow-tinged glasses can help, supposedly helps with contrast detection. I use yellow filters for my (B&W film) cameras, I find I focus faster.

Click to expand...

I have hearing aids that connect to my phone, and I have wondered if a coach could essentially "call" me and feed me advice between points. "Stop pushing the serve back", "Exploit your opponent's weak backhand", "move your feet". With the change that coaching can take place during the game, this would seem to be the ultimate advancement.

What actually prompted this question was watching NFL (American) football. Quarterbacks typically have a wristband that contains the list of possible plays, and a coach can communicate with them via headset in the helmet for up to (I think) 15 seconds before the play is started. I was speculating how such a practice might play out in table tennis. Maybe at the 6 point "towel off", a coach could give a few quick tidbits of advice. I know this is now allowed, and could be effective, but have not heard of anyone practicing this. The smartwatch would be a way to do this (via text message), or hearing aids, since table tennis players don't yet wear helmets. Would be better than hand signals, which is what I think have allegedly been used in the past.

The broader idea of how to use a smartwatch is a little different. It is just a cool tool that could have some application, maybe just a list of reminders or contain a list of drills or tactics to use.