In 2017 the Penrith and Districts Junior League in collaboration with iOn Sport began an unprecedented initiative by videographing Junior League games. Never before had a grassroots video capture of this scale been attempted. Within a matter of weeks, resources were mobilised, systems were developed, and operators employed from the local community were trained to capture upto 150 games each week.
The captured video is made available to players, coaches, parents and others through the Panthers Juniors App. Users can watch games with subscription packages or pay per view purchases. This allows parents, grandparents and other fans to catch up on games they missed, or keep a memory of a great moment from a game. Meanwhile, coaches, players and referees can watch footage to improve their performance or check out the competition.
This innovative solution had an immense impact on player and crowd safety. Any incidents in the field of play or crowd were flagged for judiciary or police review. This solved a major issue from previous seasons by simplifying the whole judiciary process. The majority of judicial charges were supported by clear video evidence.
Additionally, the Panthers Development team also used this platform to scout talent and track player development. Many development squad trials were cancelled altogether. Instead of scouting reports, chance sightings of talent or performance on a single trials day, talent was identified through a comprehensive analysis of player progression over the season.
This video capture solution has revolutionised talent identification at the grassroots while keeping player safety at an all time high. The Panthers are leading the way.