We all have played sports at some point in our lives and have our own memories of what it's like to be on the court, in the zone and in the play. Our perspective is limited to our own two eyes, however, only allows us to see what's in front and maybe some peripheral visions.
How cool would it be to see what another player is sees as he or she guards you? Watching that would probably help me learn the habits of my opponent and understand why they keep beating me to the ball. Wouldn't it be even more incredible to view the perspective of a professional athlete?
Some of us were lucky to play at the collegiate level and are aware of the increased competition and intensity that come with it. And only a handful make it to the pros, comprehending the game at an unexplainable level to us who consume the energy from our box seats, also known as the living room couch. Nevertheless, we are now in 2015, and thanks to great technology like GoPro, we now have the ability to see the unbelievable talent through the eyes of the player himself.
HOCKEY
Personally, I've never been on the ice with a stick in my hand, but thanks to this video, I felt like I was right there with these skaters … and I watched it three more times. The remarkable talent these athletes have becomes almost godlike from this perspective; to move the puck fluidly with the stick and their skates is eye-popping and ridiculously engaging. It's mind-boggling to me the agility and quick thinking these guys have because you don't get that in-the-moment, firsthand perspective when watching from the glass. It gives an avenue to truly appreciate the work and mindset these sportsmen have on the ice.
BASKETBALL
Although it's only a pickup game, it sure is stunning to see what's it's like to dunk the ball. Standing at 5'7" doesn't give me much to work with so viewing this as the player goes up to the hoop is an experience I will probably only see through this video. And what an experience that is because there are so many like myself who will never know that feeling. But to be able to see it as if I was doing it myself, getting an adrenaline rush from this sensation of almost feeling what it's like to weave strategically around someone and slam the ball in the basket, creates a virtual reality I can ecstatically live through for a few moments.
FOOTBALL
To truly feel all the intensity a football game has to offer, you've got to be on that field and in the moment. There's nothing like being sacked or dragged down by your shirt. We may "oooooo" or wince at the plays where we see that one guy at the claws of the defense finally get picked off and pummeled to the ground, but really knowing that pain and sock to the stomach every few yards is almost impossible. Until you watch this video. You feel the pain these guys are feeling. You're taking the three-step drop with the quarterback. It's almost like when you play a video game and you jerk your right leg when pressing the controls to make the character jump. You are nearly in the game with them.
BASEBALL
Baseball is unlike the other three because the level of contact is much lower in the game, making the angle at which we watch altered. The most repeated action in baseball is the pitch. Normally, it's hard to get the pitcher's point of view from watching on television or at the game. When viewing as a fan, you see a bird's-eye view of the field and the team adjusting to the each play as it unravels. With this clip you're given the chance to get in the mind of the pitcher and catcher. You start to see the patterns that they look for from their eye level, and it becomes a mental game. Observing baseball from this perspective is intriguing and allows us fans to understand what it takes to separate yourself from the crowd and the other nine players on the field and get the ball into the catcher's mitt.
Having the ability to see from these perspectives is significant and impactful. As fans who may not have the luxury to continue to play sports, this is our way of getting into the game. But these videos are only of practice footage. Imagine if athletes began wearing GoPros or small cameras on them during the games.
We can currently observe unique angles from the rim, goal or end zone, but that's from the perspective of an object, not a human. If we could watch from the athlete's perspective as a fan during real game time, it would completely change how we view, analyze and enjoy sports. Watching the game from the helmet is an extraordinary perspective fans have been waiting for, and it's the next big thing to happen with sports broadcasting because it gives more coverage of the game, helps the fans relate to the athletes and gives an overall exhilarating experience. We love our teams, we love our athletes and we might soon love how we watch the game from home more than at the actual stadium.
