The sports world has increasingly evolved over the years in viewership, sports-related publications, and opportunities for participants. A lot of this growth is all thanks to the advancements in sports technology. These advancements breed “more efficient competitors…” A Rapsodo is a perfect example of this. This form of technology is used to collect data of hitting and pitching in baseball and softball. The Abraham Lincoln Baseball team just got a new Rapsodo to help make improvements to their pitchers’ mechanics. 

Head coach Tyler Brietzke explained the purpose for getting the new tool. He hopes that by using this super advanced technology, the team can make adjustments so their pitchers are more effective in the game. 

“It allows us to measure things like velocity, spin rate, tunneling, etc,” said Brietzke. “I decided that the baseball team needed it because it is another way for us to become the model program in southwest Iowa.” 

Since the season doesn’t start until the spring, the team hasn’t been able to use this new high-tech tool to its fullest potential. Assistant head coach and pitching coach  Ryan Higgins is excited for their throwing program to start up in January. The data gathered can help improve the team’s pitching design. 

“The data we collect will give us the opportunity to dive deeper into our pitchers’ throwing mechanics,” said Higgins. “We will also be able to use things like velocity and spin rate to determine what kinds of pitches we should be throwing to different batters in different situations.”  

Senior baseball player Mason Garreans believes that the Rapsodo is very important to the development of the players on the team. 

“This tool is important because it gives a school like us the ability to compete with bigger schools in Iowa in technology. We are moving towards becoming the model program in this side of the state, and this is a stepping stone to getting there.”