Technology invades all aspects of life.

Even high school football.

“The kids get on their phones now,” said Dunlap coach Brett Cazalet. “They can watch film, they have access to things that in the past kids didn’t have.”

Sidelines are filled with computers, tablets, wires, electronics and cameras. All in the name of bringing football in the 21st century. At the high school level.

For example, at Normal Community, players come off the field and huddle. They huddle around a TV.

“When we come off the field, everyone gets to see the TV,” said Ironmen junior Daylen Boddie. “We see the last play instead of waiting and talking. We can visualize it and see that we can do
on the next play.

Coaches like it too.

“It’s remarkable, what it does,” Normal Community coach Wes Temples said. “It makes adjustments easier on the sidelines. Most kids are visual learners.”

The technology doesn’t only appear on game nights.

“Right now, if you look at our group that’s going, everything they are running in practice is
off their ‘GoRout.’” said Washington coach Darrell Crouch. “They’re not going to huddle up.”

Washington practices with something called a ‘GoRout.’ It’s phone-sized technology that players wear around their waists.

The gadgets store plays. Coaches script an entire practice worth of plays and the players can look on their screens and call them.

“We used to have play cards,” said Washington senior Aaron Quinn. “That would take ten seconds to huddle up, ten seconds to get up to the ball. This eliminates all that.”

An argument can be made that football players these days may be bigger, stronger and faster. They certainly are more tech savvy.