Category Archives: Tech of Sports

From the shoes we wear on our feet to the high definition televisions in our living room, wearable devices, the sports universe is a breeding ground for technology. Writer and Photographer Rick Limpert will examine this each week on The Tech of Sports – With guests which include athletes, inventors and journalists that cover the intersection of sports and technology.

Tom Lehman, PGA TOUR Champions Player, Cragun’s Resort Course Architect

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The multi-year golf course renovation at Cragun’s Resort, Golf and Conference is finished. PGA TOUR Champions player and course architect Tom Lehman led today’s ceremonial unveiling of the final nine holes, now known as Dutch Red. Once again, all 45 holes are open to resort guest and public play.

Rick talks to Tom Lehman from Cragun’s Resort in Brainard, Minn.

The renovation of Dutch Red—thoughtfully designed to improve playability and enjoyment for golfers of all skill levels—includes striking new bunkering, four redesigned greens, and fresh green surrounds. The routing remains the same, but significant reshaping and clearing have enhanced scenic views across the course.

Among the most noticeable changes is the improvement in playability on holes #3 and #4. Hole #3 now boasts a dramatic change in the landing area off the tee, nearly doubling the size of the fairway. The new green was moved 50 yards back with a soft chipping area surrounding the entire green, making the hole much more enjoyable for all skill levels.

Hole #4 is now a drivable par 4, previously guarded by a series of bunkers and a cart path along the left side. The renovation relocated the bunkers to new strategic areas, moved the cart path to the right side, and it is now more playable and enjoyable. The new green on #4 is much more subtle but still allows for some terrific pin placements.

Today’s grand opening was attended by representatives of Cragun’s Resort owners, Leisure Hotels & Resorts, PGA TOUR Americas, regional and national media, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for golf in the Upper Midwest.

Looking ahead, Cragun’s Resort, Golf & Conference will host the prestigious CRMC Championship, presented by the Northern Pacific Center, for the fourth year, August 28 to 31, offering fans and players an exciting glimpse of the renovated Red and White layouts.

Past champions include two-time PGA TOUR winner Jake Knapp (2022), Yi Cao (2023), and Frederik Kjettrup (2024).

For more information, visit the website at www.craguns.com.

Michael Brown, COO of World Table Tennis

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Rick is joined by Michael Brown, COO of World Table Tennis at the US Smash in Las Vegas.

Brown is a qualified and experienced strategic leader with proven success in growing sports organizations.

Now his attention is on table tennis.

He leads Business Services and driving growth as the Chief Operating Officer at World Table Tennis (WTT). The role involves spearheading the development and execution of operational strategies across Finance, Legal, IT, Translation, and General Operations.

Focused on key initiatives such as:
– Driving commercial revenue growth
– Ensuring effective management of commercial rights and intellectual property
– Developing strategies for data collection and monetization
– Managing the due-diligence process for potential third-party investment

Great to talk with Michael

Matthew Hetherington, Marketing Specialist – Table Tennis, at Joola Global

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Rick sits down with Matt Hetherington at the US Smash table tennis in Las Vegas.

He is a Marketing Specialist for Joola.

From Hetherington:

My involvement in Table Tennis after completing 3 years of an economics and financial analysis degree has led me into more online fields and digital methods of marketing and promotion, going from small contracts working in building online sales platforms to lead roles in table tennis marketing for USA Table Tennis and now JOOLA both in the USA and Global.

Established in Germany in 1952, JOOLA has dominated the professional table tennis scene in the United States for over 15 years. Partnering with North American Table Tennis (NATT) early on, JOOLA established a strong presence through the North American Tour and NATT‘s flagship event, the North American Teams Championships. Each event in the Tour generally drew in 200 to 300 participants and showcased about 30 JOOLA tables, while the Teams event exposed the brand to nearly 1000 players, who competed on about 150 JOOLA tables. With each successful event, JOOLA grew its fan base and eventually became the most visible table tennis brand in US table tennis.

JOOLA later served as the Official Table Sponsor of USA Table Tennis’ (USATT), the national governing body for table tennis, major tournaments from 2012 until 2019. This included the US Open and US National Championships.

In 2019, Sport Squad, Inc., the US-based distributor and licensee of JOOLA for the North American and Brazilian market., announced its acquisition of JOOLA Tischtennis GmbH. Established in 2006 and based in Rockville, MD, Sport Squad, Inc. was founded by Richard Lee out of a love for table tennis. Sport Squad eventually expanded to include 4 different brands dedicated to offering interactive and immersive games and gaming equipment. It is the parent company to JOOLA, iPong, Sport Squad, and Hit Mit. In 2022, JOOLA launched JOOLA Pickleball and immediately took the sport by storm as the sponsor of pickleball world #1 Ben Johns and a partner of USPPA.

 

Lily Zhang, Table Tennis at the US Smash

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Rick is joined by American table tennis player, Lily Zhang at the US Smash in Las Vegas.

Zhang is one of the American hopes at this big World Table Tennis event.

A six-time US national champion in women’s singles. Zhang has won the US national championship in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022. In 2011, she was a bronze medalist in women’s singles and women’s team at the Pan American Games and won the women’s doubles title at the Qatar Peace and Sport Cup. She is currently a member of the United States National Women’s team.

From a young age, Zhang showed promising skill. When she was 7 years old, Dennis Davis, the president and head coach of the Palo Alto Table Tennis Club and the North American representative of the junior commission of International Table Tennis Federation, began training her. When she was 11, Zhang made the U.S. Cadet Team. By age 12, Zhang became the youngest player to ever make the U.S. Women’s Team.

Great to talk to Lily.

 

Joe Saul-Sehy, Summer Road Trips and Sports Travel

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Families are making plans for Fourth of July road trips, choosing cars over planes for everything from camping weekends to family reunions. Car travel remains the top choice for summer getaways but rising prices have prompted more travelers to look for ways to stretch every dollar, especially when traveling with kids, grandparents and maybe even a pet or two.

Planning ahead can help avoid common road trip pitfalls. Experts say the right approach to budgeting for food, fuel and lodging can make a big difference. Small steps, like prepping for surprise expenses or joining rewards programs or using incentives and offers to help cover part of the cost, can help families save without cutting corners on fun.

Rick is joined by personal finance expert Joe Saul-Sehy, to share practical, family-friendly advice to help make summer travel smoother and more affordable.

Topics:

Why are so many families choosing road trips this Fourth of July?
Road trips can be hard on vehicles, what are some things people can do to protect their investment in their car?
How can families plan ahead to avoid overspending?
What are your favorite money-saving tips for food, gas or hotels?
Are there any tools or programs that can help families save money while traveling?
Where can we go to learn more?

Joe Saul-Sehy is a creator, author and host of ” The Stacking Benjamins” podcast, named “2023 Best Personal Finance podcast by Bankrate.com.” Joe provides personal finance advice on a variety of topics, including major purchases like automobiles.

Thanks to: General Motors and Barclays

 

Amy Goodson, Registered Dietitian on Hydration

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It’s summer, so we all need to be mindful about hydration.

From long days at the beach, to outdoor workouts, travel and yard work, it all can leave you feeling depleted. Proper hydration supports everything from energy and focus to muscle function and recovery, especially for active people, kids and older adults.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Health Sciences found that 100% orange juice hydrates just as well as water or a sports drink, making it a refreshing way to stay cool and hydrated during the summer months. Made of nearly 90% water and inclusive of naturally occurring electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, 100% orange juice offers a science-backed ways to rehydrate and recharge after exercise.

Registered dietitian Amy Goodson breaks down the research and share smart summer hydration tips, including various ways to help hydrate.

Topics:

Why is hydration so important, especially in the summer?

What makes 100% orange juice an effective hydration option, and what are some common misconceptions about it?

Tell us about some of the recipes you’re making today.

Where can we go to learn more?

https://floridasnatural.com/our-juices/orange-juices

Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD is a registered dietitian and consultant with an emphasis on overall health, wellness and sports nutrition. She has fifteen years of experience and has worked with Ben Hogan Sports Medicine, the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, as well as with many middle school, high school and endurance athletes. She also works with the everyday exercising population to improve health and wellness.