LakePoint plans to expand campus, tech capabilities
The LakePoint sporting community in Bartow County will not only be the largest venue for competitive youth sports, but very soon, it will be one of, if not the most technologically enhanced youth sporting facilities in the country.
LakePoint has revealed a partnership with PlaySight Interactive to provide scores of cameras that will provide live streaming capabilities as well as advanced coaching and performance analysis tools.
The high tech equipment is capable of providing offers instant replay and on-demand video content to access, store, manage and share video, statistics and analytics.
Mark M. O’Brien, the new president and CEO at LakePoint said the venue is constantly looking for ways to enhance the guest experience.
“With technology in our lives today it’s at the forefront of everything we do and certainly at the forefront of sports,” O’Brien said. “Our intention is to meet with the athletes, the scouts, the coaches and the fans, meet them where they are and provide them with video content and data aggregation that tells the full story of the athletes whether they are
on the baseball field, the basketball courts, the volleyball courts, gymnastics or cheerleading.”
The system will provide a variety of different angles on each activity for review at the athletes own leisure or pace. Young athletes will be able to put together highlight reels they can send out to college coaches or professional scouts in an effort to advance their careers.
O’Brien said LakePoint is still working on how to structure the financial component and fees based on feedback from the early users.
“Our first baseball field will be up and running for Prep Baseball Report’s futures games that last week in July and first week in August. We’ll look at what improvements we need to make before we install them at all of the other baseball fields,” he said.
“We’ll have the full campus wired — more than 100 cameras — by the end of August and use the fall to test and learn the best ways to provide the experience both on-site and off-site,” O’Brien said.
Meanwhile, LakePoint is moving to start construction activity on the North Campus. A bridge crossing a major rail line is complete and the road will ultimately connect Ga. 293 with Red Top Mountain Road.
“We’ve got various parcels being cleared and graded,” O’Brien said. “We don’t have a date to announce that will be open, but it’s exciting to see.”
PlaySight also works with several NCAA sports programs, including the University of Georgia, University of North Carolina and Wake Forest University as well as the United States Tennis Association’s National Campus near Orlando, Florida.