View Cart  |   Checkout  |   Sign In

A pro's opinion of your amateur swing
A new company puts video of your shot, stroke or technique in the eyes of a pro. JOHN MARSHALL explains your chance to learn from the athlete you emulate.

So your kid is having trouble with his stance in the batter's box. Why not ask Tim Salmon how to fix it?

Maybe you're struggling with the setup with your golf swing. How about seeing if Gary McCord can help?

Jump shot's clanging off the side of the rim? George Gervin might be able to give you some tips.

Thing is, access to these athletes isn't as difficult -- or expensive -- as you might think.

It's all possible through Protege Sports, a company based in Scottsdale, Ariz., that provides personalized online lessons in six sports: golf, tennis, basketball, baseball, football and soccer. Plans are in the works to add several more sports in the future.

The company, which started up about six months ago, has nearly three dozen athletes and coaches on staff. And these aren't exactly a bunch of guys no one's heard of.

In basketball, there's Gervin, Bob Lanier and Eddie Johnson. The baseball staff includes Salmon, Kevin Young and Mike Fetters. Seth Joyner and Nick Lowery give football lessons, while McCord and Peter Kostis are on the golf staff.

"There's not many kids who have access to world-class coaches and athletes like a Tim Salmon, a Kevin Young, someone who's been there and done that," Protege president Ron Shaffer says.

Here's how it works: Protege's Web site offers free software for download, which allows you to upload a video clip of yourself in action and pick an instructor. The athlete or coach then analyzes your moves, creates a personalized lesson and uploads it to the site, sending you an e-mail to let you know it's ready.

The lessons, which generally run between 5 and 10 minutes, stay online for at least year and range from $75 to $125, depending on the instructor. Though the lessons in team sports are designed for kids, adult have taken advantage, too, particularly in golf and tennis.

"A lot of these athletes or coaches really want to coach and they really want to do it," Shaffer says. "This is a way for them to do it at their own convenience and basically from their own home or wherever they want to be." Shaffer said.

posted : 26-Jul-07

back

Baseball

Basketball

Football

Golf

Hockey

Lacrosse

Martial Arts

Outdoor Life

Rock Climbing

Soccer

Softball

Sports Psychology

Tennis

Volleyball

Strength & Conditioning