Ulster Academy High Performance Manager Gary Longwell looks on while player Stephen Douglas watches his progress on VCP

Visual Coaching Pro (VCP) allows athletes to update their coaches on performance during training by filling in a variety of categories on drop-down menus, ranging from the type of workout they did, to how they felt before, during and after the training session.

The coach then analyses the data and can send feedback to the athlete. There is a selection of 6,500 pre-recorded video clips that can show the athlete the exercises they need to undertake in order to work on the specific areas of their own personal development.

Gary Longwell, High Performance Manager for Ulster Rugby Academy said of the software “The academy players each have a license to the program and receive their weekly planner online. They each keep an online diary stating their total workload, how well they have eaten/slept, their mood state etc which is then analysed by the academy manager each week before setting the following weeks program.”

Stephen Douglas, Ulster Rugby Academy Player said of the software “ We are really lucky to be using this software and it allows the guys that are away with Ireland U20s and other squads to keep the Ulster Rugby Academy fully informed of how they are getting along and it is very user friendly.”

Phil Moreland, head coach at the Strength and Conditioning unit of SINI said the computer package will enable athletes to reach their peak performance because the programme was developed by people who work in the sports industry. “There is no other software of its kind anywhere in the world,” he said. “The nice thing about the package is that it is designed by strength and conditioning professionals. So they are people who know what the athletes and coaches need.”