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.

Mike Gattone, Head Coach US Weightlifting Team

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Rick talks to Mike Gattone, Head Coach of the US Olympic Weightlifting Team this week on iHeartRadio.

Mike has been involved in the sport of weightlifting and the strength and conditioning field for over 30 years. Mike served as High Performance and Coaching Education Director for USA Weightlifting, and was Competition Director for the weightlifting event at the 1996 Olympic Games, the 2009 Pan American Championships, as well as two USA National Championships, National Junior Championships, and the 1992 Olympic Trials. He has coached international and national championship athletes including competitors in multiple World, and Junior World weightlifting Championships, and was personal coach for the 2000 Olympic gold medalist, Tara Nott-Cunningham.

Mike has served as Manager of Coaching for the United States Olympic Committee, and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Chicago Bulls/Vermeil’s Sports Performance. In addition to weightlifting and strength and conditioning, Mike has also coached track & field at the collegiate and junior college level.

The Mission of USA Weightlifting shall be to support United States athletes in achieving excellence in Olympic and World competition and to support, promote, and educate a diverse and inclusive community of weightlifting and the use of the barbell in the United States.

The USA has a chance to win potentially about 5 medals in the Games (the most in 61 years), and will announce our Olympians next Wednesday the 19 of May, showing our largest team since the United States hosted the 1996 Games in Atlanta. Our medals were only 1 in 2016, 2 in 2000 and then nothing back to 1984. In particular, we have not won a Men’s medal since 1984 and look set to end that this time around.

Different to many sports, our unique story will be told in quick succession because a Weightlifting athletes compete only once, there is no tournament, no early rounds, it’s straight into competition and 2 hours later you win a medal or you do not!

Buoyed by historically strong athletes and a changing landscape in the sport, Team USA Weightlifting has the opportunity to win multiple medals and have its most successful Olympic Games in generations.

USA Weightlifting will send a full team to Tokyo consisting of eight athletes, four men and four women.

“In sending our largest team since 1996, Team USA has already made history,” USA Weightlifting CEO Phil Andrews said. “These 8 athletes have proven their resilience continue to train throughout the year delay, our job now is to give them unrelenting support as they look to deliver each of their Olympic moments in Tokyo, en route to potentially our best Olympic Games in 61 years.”

Nominated to the United States Olympic Team
Women
Athlete – Bodyweight – Hometown
Jourdan Delacruz – 49kg (108lbs) – Wylie, TX

Katherine “Kate” Nye – 76kg (167lbs) – Oakland Township, MI

Martha “Mattie” Rogers – 87kg (192lbs) – Apopka, FL

Sarah Robles – +87kg (+192lbs) – Desert Hot Springs, CA

Men
Athlete – Bodyweight – Hometown

Clarence “CJ” Cummings, Jr. – 73kg (161lbs) – Beaufort, SC

Harrison Maurus – 81kg (179lbs) – Auburn, WA

Wesley “Wes” Kitts – 109kg (240lbs) – Knoxville, TN

Caine Wilkes – +109kg (+240lbs) – Matthews, NC

To prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games, Team USA Weightlifting will travel to Honolulu, Hawaii for a pre-Games training camp. The USAW Hawaii Strong Camp, powered by NBH Bank, will give athletes and their coaches the chance to train in a COVID-19 secure bubble with world-class support staff as well as giving friends and family the chance to be together to support the athletes.

Adam Goodyer, Realife Tech

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A great Tech of Sports guest this week, as Rick is joined by Adam Goodyer of Realife Tech.

With live events strategically being held, we are starting to see organizations preparing their venues for fans. The safety of fans who attend these games/events is now taking priority, and new innovations in live event technology are reassuring fans’ comfortability in attending. I wanted to gauge your interest in having Adam Goodyer, CEO of Realife Tech, on the Tech of Sports Podcast around the steps organizations are taking to provide safety before, during and after live events. Adam can speak on:

What new features event venues are deploying to reduce key touchpoints, such as paperless ticketing, mobile ordering, and contactless collection from concessions?

Rick and Adam discuss all this and more.

Realife Tech works with some of the biggest sporting and entertainment clients across Europe and North America. Using advanced data analytics and innovative UI, the Realife platform creates technology that increases mobile spend and revenues at live events. Realife Tech works with the world’s biggest venues and events, including The O2, London; Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; LA Galaxy & Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Outside Lands Festival.

Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathoner, Author

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Endurance runner Dean Karnazes has released his latest book, A Runner’s High: My Life in Motion, on HarperOne. Throughout the pandemic, millions of people have turned to running for an array of both life-enhancing and pivotal reasons: better physical health, mental health, and for a sense of freedom and clarity. Karnazes leads the way with his unparalleled perseverance pushing the limits of one’s own body and mind while accomplishing such feats as running 135-miles nonstop across Death Valley, running a marathon to the South Pole, and running 50 marathons, in all 50 states, in 50 consecutive days.

It’s a great read.

He talks about that and a lot more this week with Rick.

Shawn Murnin, Play by Play Broadcaster Bowling Green Hot Rods, Minor League Baseball

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One of the casualties of COVID-19 was the 2020 minor league baseball season.

But minor league baseball is back in 2021 and Rick talk with the head of media relations and the play-by-play broadcaster for the Class A, Bowling Green Hot Rods, Shawn Murnin. How is life in the minor leagues? Favorite minor league promotions? All that and more!

Murnin is in his third season as the Hot Rods Play-By-Play Broadcaster and Media Relations Manager. The Vandling, Pennsylvania native graduated from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania with a Communications degree in 2011 and began his career in baseball with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees the same year. In 2015, he joined the Northwoods League’s Mankato Moondogs and soon thereafter, made the transition back to Minor League Baseball, making stops with the Peoria Chiefs and the Hagerstown Suns. Shawn calls all Hot Rods’ games on WBGN 94.5 FM/1340 AM, as well as authoring the Hot Rods’ TuneUp Blog. In his free time, you can find him on the golf course, collecting baseball cards, and spending time with his wife and son. His favorite sports team is the Tennessee Titans.

Fun to talk with baseball and sports and life with Shawn.

 

Cathy Connally, Author, ‘Flavour With Benefits: France’

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A little travel this week and a little on the history of Champagne in sports.

A big welcome to food innovator Cathy Connally and her book, “Flavour With Benefits: France” — the first in a series. The eBook launched in March 2021, and the hardcover edition was released in April.

“Flavour With Benefits” is a new book series by Cathy Connally and coauthor Charley Best. Each book takes the reader on a journey to a different country or region and shares the stories of strong women, breathtaking sights, and food and flavours that re-imagine “I’ll Have What She’s Having.”

“With this series of books,” says Cathy, “we are offering women an escape to visit exciting places, draw inspiration from women who changed the world, and enjoy food that doesn’t compromise on taste and health.”

Rick and Cathy talk Cathy’s passion for travel, the book and some of the history of Champagne.

A fun read that takes you away to France and more!

Brian Jones, City of Rock Hill Sports & Event Center Supervisor

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Rick talks with Brian Jones this week in Rock Hill, SC.

Jones is the supervisor of the beautiful Rock Hill Sports and Event Center.

The Rock Hill Sports & Event Center is the sports hub of the Knowledge Park corridor of Rock Hill and more. The 170,000 sq. ft. facility is part of a mixed-use site connecting Winthrop University to Old Town Rock Hill, restaurants, outdoor venues, office space, apartments and more. The Center hosts city athletic programs, sports tournaments, conferences/conventions, concerts and other special events.  By offering healthy living activities as well as cultural and tourism opportunities, the Sports and Event Center adds to the quality of life in Rock Hill and surrounding areas.

Sports tourism has become such a vital revenue stream to cities all over the country and Rock Hill has stepped up to the plate and is taking advantage of the situation during COVID-19 and post pandemic. Thanks to Brian for the great interview!