When it comes to technological know-how and innovations, Sports Sensors, Inc. President Al Dilz is anything but a one-trick pony.  Dilz served time in the U.S. army in the '50s as an electronics engineer.  He worked in the defense industry on radar applications with missiles and other projectiles.  Lucky for soccer fans and players, Dilz is also a sports aficionado who wanted to apply the radar technology he learned in the military to sports.

Al Dilz says, “Our objective is to create affordable Doppler radars for sports applications.  I spent years in defense work, and being a sports nut, I wanted to apply that technology towards player development.   I coached youth sports for 20 years and saw a need to reinforce coaching with quantitative data.”

The latest product out from Sports Sensors, Inc. is the Kickspeed Radar, a revolutionary new training device created to assist in teaching soccer kick accuracy and power.  It uses proven Doppler radar technology attached to a Target that measures the speed of the approaching ball.

What kind of benefits can it afford to a coach?  It provides immediate feedback and reinforces instructions from the coach.  Dilz says, “It can detect certain mechanic improvements and implement them.  It will give players hard facts to improve their game.  When the radar is used during practice, it increases a competitive spirit – players want to outdo each other.”

Like a true maverick, Dilz is paving a new direction in the way of coaching.  Progressive soccer professionals in the field have embraced this technology because they understand the value of immediate quantitative feedback.  Heather Mitts, member of the gold-winning U.S. Women’s National team and player, endorses the product and renowned NCAA coach Anson Dorrance was said to have used a radar gun to pick his front line.   

The Kickspeed Radar is used behind the goal to measure the speed of the player’s kick as well as their ability to hit the target.  The Kickspeed is not fixed in place but is able to be physically moved in line with the on-coming ball.  It can be positioned to provide an accurate speed reading from wherever the coach chooses to place the radar.  

“As an engineer, I’m always looking for the advantages technology can offer a coach in getting the job done,” says Dilz.  “It’s a new product.  Coaches haven’t really used this in the past.  It’s a new wrinkle.  When a player plays a sport to the best of their ability, they have fun and are inclined to work harder.”

 

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