While it’s agreed that the modern game of football started in England in the 12th century, similar games were played by cultures around the world well before that.
Around the 3rd Century the Chinese developed a game called Cuju, which involves kicking a ball through an opening and into a net. The use of hands were not allowed and this is probably the earliest known form of football. In ancient Greece there was also a team game known as Episkyros, which was being played as early as the 4th century BC. The Romans also played a variation of this known as Harpastum based on the same game.
By the 16th century, football was being widely played by public & private schools in Britain. Communities across the UK were being bought together by supporting their local football club, a social ritual that has continued to present time. They played more organized matches incorporating the idea of kicking, running, positions, teams, referees and coaches into the game. The Cambridge Rules were established at the University of Cambridge during the nineteenth century, and this became the basis of the formal rules that govern the sport, most of which are still used today.
Today, football players have become international celebrities and clubs are run like businesses. It’s about money which means attracting the right players, maximizing performance and winning at all costs. Every match and players performance is scrutinized with coaches looking to hone their teams skills and identify weaknesses in their competitors that can be exploited. Video Analysis tools are widely used in this process, with coaches and players being able to review their teams performance and develop tactics and strategies that can help provide that winning recipe.
SIVA, Sprongo’s new intelligent video analysis software is the perfect tool for football coaches and players. It’s the first video analysis tool to blend machine learning with an artificial intelligence engine, and what a difference this makes. Up until now, the only way to get useful data from video analysis tools was to draw lines and angles frame-by-frame, a slow and tedious process. With SIVA, all this work is done automatically. All you need to do is upload a segment of footage, select the subject you want to analyze and press go. In a few short moments SIVA will create a skeleton of the player, mapping out angles and providing an array of data and insights that can be used to review and compare.
This revolutionary new tool is already being used by professional athletes all across the world and is the perfect companion product for football players and coaches to incorporate into their practice and training. It’s easy to get started, just head to www.sprongo.com to sign up for a pro account and start analysing your videos today.