Things are going swimmingly for the Central Plains Sea Lions after they received some new tech recently.
Pearl Tymchuk, one of the coaches for the Sea Lions, says they reached out to the Community Foundation of Portage and District.
"We requested two iPads and a Microsoft Surface Pro and the whole idea was to do more video analysis of the swimmers in the club. Like any sport, we have a technical aspect that can be missed in real time. We see some things outside of the water and a lot of times the kids don't even realize that they're doing it. Being able to record it in real time, we're able to show them what they're doing and then they can make those adjustments."
Tymchuk says that technology allows them to go really in-depth.
"When the kids get on the block, they do their best to try to do a dive. A lot of the times they have no idea really what they're doing off the block. Afterward, we can pause it. We can slow it down. Being able to watch the small clips really enhances anything that they're doing incorrectly or correctly. It's a way to say, 'Hey, you got this, but we're still gonna work on this.' It's immediate feedback and being able to see it visually really puts it into perspective."
Tymchuk continues saying the equipment will help prevent injury, as swimming is a repetitive sport. She adds an incorrect motion, or incorrect stroke mechanics can place undue stress on the joints.
The team is so thankful for the Community Foundation's support and they are excited to get back in the water to learn.