Dr.
Bailey trains an athlete on API's equipment. By Dr. Howard
L. Bailey, O.M.S. One NFL coach said, I would rather have a quarterback
who can make 15 "looks" in 3 seconds over one who can make only 9
"looks"in the same time period. Another team states that "our
defensive backs react quicker and can go from point to point faster after API's
training." If you feel this is important to your players, read on. Athletic Perception Institute has been involved
with training ocularmotor skills in athletics for over 20 years. Over 2,500
athletes have been trained in major sports. Eleven NFL teams, 32 major colleges,
Gold Metal Olympic teams and U.S. Navy fighter pilots are among those who have
benefited from API's training. API's research found a wide variance in the visual
skills of players. It is very interesting when comparing quarterbacks and their
ability to move their eyes during a time period. Washington Redskins quarterback
could move his eyes 5 times per second while a Cleveland Browns quarterback
moved his only 3 times. As stated above, an NFL Head Coach stated he would rather
have a QB who theoretically makes 15 looks versus 9. For your information, the
fastest eye movements of any NFL player ever recorded is Art Monk, who made
5.5 eye movements per second. The range for NFL quarterbacks is 3.2 to 5.0.
Our record holder is an Olympic Women's Basketball player at 6.1. In early research using the API Eye Trac recorder
we discovered many interesting facts about eye movements. The first recordings
at Ohio State found a quarterback who could not make eye movements from one
point to another without stopping between points. (Woody wasn't upset because
of his dislike of the pass anyway!) This lack of ocular control takes up time
and the number of receivers he can find is reduced. See Figure "A"
for eye graphs of movements. Only one eye is shown, both eyes are the same hopefully As
you can see from the graphs of the athletes, there is a wide difference in their
ocular control. We have shown 2 seconds. It is very easy to see the difference
in the ocular ability of each player. The
small square represents a 1/10 of a second. By recording the eye movements on
the API Eye Trac (a product of Taylor Associates that records a reflective light from the eye to heat sensitive
paper much like an electrocardiogram) we can analyze the movements or lack
of movements very easily. These graphs are part of API's pre and post testing
records that show the positive results gained from training.
Today we use the "Visagraph," that records eye
movements and other data in a computer while the subject wears
"recording goggles." All
eye-body action is signaled by a visual cue. This allows the muscles to respond
in athletic executions. One NFL Head Coach wrote, The eyes lead the body. I
am obsessed with the idea that the proper use of the eyes can improve athletes
performance. Great idea, the eyes do lead the body. Most
articles dealing with visual training in football center on quarterbacks and
ends. We agree these positions are important and require good visual activity,
but there are other positions that need visual training. Our
experience shows that defensive halfbacks need it far more than receivers. Receivers
know where and when they are going. DB's do not, and have to rely on visual
cues. Next in importance would be linebackers, defensive linemen, ends and offensive
linemen. While receivers depend a great deal on their visual skills, they have
a "fair" amount of time to "see" the ball. In most situations,
unless it's a quick "look-in" pass, ends do not have to depend on
a fraction of a second to see the ball. While
peripheral vision is helpful, it is not reliable for accuracy. It will alert
you, you can pick up motion and color, but it is out of focus and is a very
inaccurate skill. What is necessary is a quick accurate look to ascertain
if a situation is a "go" or "no go". Much
has been said about peripheral vision and its attributes in athletics. Studies
have shown that at 15 feet the eye has only 10 inches of 100% acuity. When you
get 4 inches off center, you have lost 68% of your accuracy (Feinberg, 1949,
"A Study of Some Aspect of Peripheral Acuity") To
get the feeling about this lack of accuracy, try this. If you have a watch on,
don't look at it, but hold out your wrist as if you were going to look at it.
Look at the fingernail on your middle finger. You can see your watch, but you
cannot tell the time. Move your eyes towards the watch and see how far you have
to move your eyes to see the hands! This is the area of accurate recognition.
Your area of 100% acuity is very narrow. This is why the eyes have to make fast
and accurate movements to "size up" situations. When
API did training on site, teams averaged 25-37% improvement. If we could do
this in any other skill, i.e. running or throwing, you would send a cab for
us. Since most teams take seeing for granted, this skill remains at the level
the player brings into camp. With a 25% improvement for quarterbacks alone,
he would get 2.4 more "looks" in a 3 second period if he had .310 of
a second recognition time to begin with. Would this help in his completions
or interception ratio? If your DB has to travel 30 feet he could travel 27 inches
further in the same time frame if he has 11.0 speed in the 100 with a 25% improvement
in his recognition time. The normal training schedule to bring visual skills
to their potential is thirty sessions, 10 to 20 minutes per session. With
improvement in the area of faster recognition/release time and motility of the
eyes, we can expect the following results in the various positions: QUARTERBACKS
-More "looks," faster eye movements to find receivers and better accuracy.
With only three seconds in which to throw the ball a quarterback must ascertain
if his primary receiver is open or use his other options. Results of training:
More completions, fewer interceptions and fewer "sacks." (Brian Sipe)
"My eyes play a prominent role and they merit training just like any other
skill." DEFENSIVE
BACKS -Faster reaction to movements of
receivers, quicker arrival at point of contact by leaving sooner as a result
of having a faster recognition skill. In my opinion, defensive backs have the
most difficult visual task position in football. By shortening the recognition
time a DB will have more time to play his man and with better coverage. Results
of training: Stay with and react to receivers faster, more interceptions
and fewer completions. (Dallas Cowboys) "Our defensive backs can go from
point to point faster after training." RECEIVERS
-Ability to focus faster on the ball by having faster recognition and using
"hard center" vision. Accuracy will improve, resulting in longer viewing
time of pass. He will also be able to react to defensive positioning faster
with the ability to "free" himself better. Results of training:
More completions, fewer interceptions. (Raymond Berry) "I feel strongly
that visual skill awareness is important to a player's success." LINEBACKERS
-Will be able to react faster to visual "cues." Won't overreact as
easily and if he does, can recover faster. Pursuit will start sooner. Results
of training: By being able to recognize the situation more rapidly he can
cover his area more adequately. He will arrive at the point of contact quicker
as well as improve his pass coverage, resulting in more interceptions. DEFENSIVE
LINEMEN -Move off the ball faster. It is
a visual stimuli that causes the movement. Faster reaction to all actions improves
his performance. While linemen fight pressure, they still rely on visual action
for positioning angles. Results of training: Tackles will be made sooner
with deeper penetration. Defensive linemen have faster recognition skills than
offensive linemen as a rule, because they depend on visual movement to activate
them. OFFENSIVE
LINEMEN - Because they move on a pre set
signal, they have an initial benefit. After the snap they must react to visual
stimuli, as does the defense. Results of training: Quicker reaction,
and better blocking position. Allows more time for your quarterback. API
can improve visual skills, but your players should be made cognizant of other
"seeing" skills. You attempt to teach them, or request that they perform
them. For example quarterbacks using global vision instead of hard center vision.
Global vision implies looking at a large target, i.e. the total player or area,
instead of looking at a small target. The smaller your target, hard center vision
vs. global vision, results in far more accuracy. By
concentrating on a small part of the receivers anatomy, the chest, shoulder,
head, or hip, accuracy will improve. Focus the eyes on it before the arm action
starts and watch it until after the ball leaves the hand. it emphasizes focusing
the eyes before starting the arm action. On moving targets, instruct OB's to
focus on the chest, then swing the head and throw (as in skeet shooting). Passing
progression should be set-look-throw. The smaller target results in far more
accuracy and allows for more margin for error. As Blanton Collier said, "This
target idea is the single most important thing that's ever been told to me.
If you do it, it will improve your efficiency by 10 or 15 percent." We
do not concern ourselves with visual acuity. It is assumed that the eyes have
been screened by eye specialists and corrected or are normal. API concentrates
on improving the visual skills, not acuity. The
graphs below show the improvement after API's training. You can see the difference
in control and improved recognition. The average team improvement has been
25-37%
API's
Trigger
Visual Training System employs the newest computer
software programs available for instructional techniques to train accurate motility
skills, allowing for more "looks." We also teach players how to use
and improve the two most important visual skills; recognition and faster and
more accurate seeing skills for gaining an advantage Athletes work at their own level, speed
and schedule. API's
30 session program requires 10 to 20 minutes per session. Special team packages
are available. 
OCULARMOTOR SKILLS AND THE
TRAINING IN FOOTBALL
