According to one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus, system, method and/or computer program product may provide an electronically and programmably controlled remote virtual spectator/viewer device enabling viewer interaction with an entertainment participant in an entertainment forum via an exemplary digital video camera, digital audio microphone, speaker system, and display device system coupled via at least one communications interface to a communications network to allow a remote viewer to virtually interact with and communicate with the entertainment participant in the entertainment forum. Embodiments may include a graphical user interface configured to allow control of a digital video camera, and digital microphone in the entertainment forum, by a remote user from a remote location.

In certain embodiments, a training device for soccer (European-style football) has an upper portion configured to be wrapped around an athlete's lower leg and a lower portion configured to be secured onto a shoe worn on the athlete's foot below the lower leg, wherein an outer surface of at least one of the upper and lower portions has a first material configured to mate with a second material on an outer surface of a ball, such that, when the athlete attempts to kick the ball with the foot, the ball will tend to stick to the training device due to mating of the first and second materials (e.g., forming a hook-and-loop assembly). By wearing the training device on the athlete's dominant leg, the athlete learns to kick with their non-dominant leg, thereby becoming a more well-rounded soccer player.

A screen soccer system and method are disclosed. The screen soccer system includes a system server including a data transceiver, a running information processor, an image output part, and a kicking information processor. The running information processor receives footstep information of user in real time from a first footstep sensing device. The image output part transmits the running image information to an image output device through the data transceiver. The data transceiver receives gravity center movement information of the user transmitted from a second footstep sensing device. The kicking information processor analyzes and converts the gravity center movement information, the kicking motion information, and the soccer ball kicking information into kicked ball image information regarding a kicked ball path. The image output part transmits the kicked ball image information to the image output device through the data transceiver.

A device, sometimes mobile, which simulates human motion, such as an omnidirectional sensing target. The target that can detect and differentiate between projectile (bullet) hits to the head, body, and one or more peripheral regions (e.g., arms, pelvis, legs) of a humanoid-form target, elicit a physical response from the mobile device based upon the sensing data, and provide real time feedback to a user (shooter) via a user-friendly interface. The target includes multiple layers of conductive material separated by one or more insulating layers. Forming can be by wrapping planar sensing panel into a three-dimensional configuration such that the panel occludes a three-dimensional volume and presents surfaces sensing projectiles from all directions. Associated circuitry is configured to have a bullet pass through multiple zones and to electronically detect the bullet path based on a combination and/or sequence of zones detecting bullet passage.

Virtual and augmented reality sports training environments are disclosed. A user interacts with virtual players in a simulated environment of a virtual reality sporting event. In some embodiments, the user's actions and decisions are monitored by the simulated environment. The environment evaluates the user's performance, and provides performance feedback based on the user's decisions and timing. In one application, real life pitchers and their pitching data are tracked and replicated in a simulated pitching environment. A team of users may practice against a simulation of a pitcher they are about to compete against, swinging at pitches that they would see in a real game. Such environments may maximize effective practice time for users, and help develop better players with improved decision-making skills. Some embodiments include various pitch recognition training, which may be against replicated real-life pitchers.

A method can include providing an object having a size smaller than a size of a known regulation object, projecting the object, via a delivery device, toward a trainee, and training the trainee to follow the object. A method can include determining a game parameter of a game trajectory of a sports object that was projected along the game trajectory in a real-time sports event, and based on the game parameters, adapting a delivery device to deliver a training object along a training trajectory that mimics at least a portion of the game trajectory, with the training object being smaller than the sports object.

A method is provided of causing a fumble or loss of control of a ball by a ball carrier, particularly in gridiron football or rugby. A defender makes contact with the ball carrier and subsequently applies force to the arm, hand, wrist, elbow, or combinations thereof of the ball carrier sufficient to dislodge the ball.

A computer-implemented American soccer training and evaluation method that includes subjecting a drilling user to predefined drilling protocol(s) of a plurality of American soccer drilling assemblies and obtain, from each pre-defined drilling protocol(s) of the plurality of American soccer drilling assemblies and from at least one sensor on each of the assemblies, at least one user physical characteristic of the drilling user. The user physical characteristic is communicated to an administrative server over a network, where it is stored and used to create a drilling user performance profile having individualized performance comparisons with respect to the at least one user physical characteristic of the drilling user and a performance benchmark. Then, the drilling user performance profile is communicated to at least one of a plurality of electronic computing devices of a plurality of consuming users for evaluation and review.

A target for sport goal is configured to attach to a cross member of a goal, such as a hockey goal, a soccer goal, lacrosse goal, and other such goals. The target includes a sleeve member that has an interior radius corresponding to that of the intended goal to which it is mounted. Attachment slots receive an attachment strap to secure the sleeve to the cross member. Suspension slots are disposed to receive a suspension strap that secures a target in a desired orientation relative to the length of the sleeve. The target is configured such that the target provides an audible or visual indication when the target is struck by a game object, such as a puck, a ball, or the like.

A coaching tool for footwork development including a plurality of shims arranged parallel to one another. The coaching tool includes a housing surrounding the shims. The housing has a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a front surface, and a back surface opposite the front surface. The coaching tool includes a handle extending from a first end to a second end. The first end is attached to the housing on the back surface, and the second end is spaced from the first end. A portion of the handle between the first end and the second end is disposed on a common plane with the bottom surface of the housing.