Long gone are my days of participating in after school practices, two-a-days in the summer heat and Friday nights under the lights. Although my football days are behind me I can still hear my coaches yelling about ball security, and especially the “five points of pressure/contact” while holding the football. Many fans and athletes alike would agree that fumbling the football can result in a huge swing of momentum for either team, and can change the course of a game no matter the score. Due to the impact fumbles have on the outcome of a game, organizations at all levels stress the importance of carrying the ball properly to ensure maximum security and maintain their momentum. While there is no way to tangibly guarantee the prevention of fumbles throughout the season, one company is using multi-sensory training, as well as a combination of sports science and data technology to reduce the number of fumbles.
Invented by a coach highlighting over 30 years of research and development, HIGHandTIGHT is a company focusing specifically on exploiting technology and statistics to train athletes, in order to reduce the number of fumbles that take place on the field. HIGHandTIGHT ‘s patented product was launched in January of 2016 and exhibits a tailored version of a standard football, incorporating a battery-operated system that releases a high-pitched sound when the ball is held properly and the necessary areas of pressure have been put “TIGHT” to the body. The Version 1 HnTv1-trainer sound emitted from the ball helps athletes and coaches to be able to distinguish whether or not the ball is being held properly, and with the necessary amount of applied pressure.
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As a former high school and current college football coach, as well as a prior service Marine, founder and CEO of HIGHandTIGHT Tom Creguer understands the importance of training and repetition both on and off the field in order to achieve maximum results.
“There’s always a way to find a solution if you have a problem,” states Creguer. “With our problem focused on the number of fumbles, we are using audible reinforcement to make sure we’re doing something right. When you hear the sound from the football, everyone now knows that the ball is secured. Gone are the days of watching film and seeing the ball away from your body and not realizing it until the ball is on the ground.”
HIGHandTIGHT has made waves in both professional and collegiate training programs as part of ball security training, and is featured by many recognized teams throughout the country.
“If I had that ball in High School, I don’t think I would’ve had a fumble,” says Washington Redskins Running Back, Matt Jones. “It’s teaching me how to squeeze the ball at the point of contact. Everything has changed about me holding the ball.”
In a product study conducted during the 2015-16 collegiate football season, HIGHandTIGHT was able to track statistics from the Northwood University Football program, a NCAA Division II school located in Midland, Michigan, where Creguer was administered as one of the assistant coaches. During the 2014-15 season, the NU Timberwolves had a recorded 14 fumbles during the length of their schedule. Conversely, after utilizing and training with Creguer’s HIGHandTIGHT product, NU running backs saw a decrease of 64% from 11 fumbles to just seven during the 2015-16 season, while Quarterbacks on the NU team had just three each year.
“Our goal is to get every team in the country using HIGHandTIGHT,” Creguer says. “My belief is that once you find a purpose, you don’t work a day in your life. I’ve been beaten, I’ve been set back and I’ve been knocked down, but when you have focus and passion you find a way to get it done. You’re never as good as your best play, and you’re never as bad as your worst play, just like in the game of football.”
To learn more about HIGHandTIGHT you can visit their website, or check them out on Twitter and Instagram. Click here for information on product details and costs, and be sure to use the code (TECHIE) to receive $20.00 off your order.