30 OregonStater.org PHOTOS BY KARL MAASDAM, ’93 S P OR T S The ability of sports performance and athletic training staffs to collect data about athletes’ leaps and bounds has improved by … well, leaps and bounds. In the weight rooms and conditioning centers of Oregon State University athletics, technology is now a key player in how Beavers improve strength, flexibility, conditioning and resistance to injury. Jeff Macy, Oregon State’s associate athletic director for sports performance, has more than a quarter century of experience in strength and conditioning coaching at NCAA Division I schools and the National Basketball Association. “What has changed is the ease of use,” he said. Tools are much smaller — in some cases going from the size of a suitcase to something that can be used with a smartphone — and more affordable. They’re wireless. As a result, the greater volume of data gathered from athletes’ workouts gives the sports performance staff a clearer picture of individuals’ strengths and areas for improvement. Faster data processing also means training regimens can be adjusted more quickly. BUILDING BETTER BEAVERS How technology is helping Oregon State student-athletes avoid injury and optimize performance. BY > KIP CARLSON ↑ Women’s basketball player Susana Yepes performs a vertical jump test while Jeff Macy observes .
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