Michael Derr is the head instructor of Pro Speed Baseball, a hugely successful online coaching company with millions of views on YouTube.
Tell us about yourself (disciplines you coach, how long, successes etc)
Retired Professional Baseball Player
19 Years Professional Instructor
Private Instructor to MLB Players
Over 40,000 lessons given
We teach proven, simple, repeatable, world class mechanics and how to perform those mechanics in the game.
How did you hear about OnForm and how did you get started with it?
Long time user of Ubersense, then Hudl Technique and I found OnForm when researching coaching platforms when Hudl Technique announced they were retiring the app.
Have you used video in your coaching in the past?
I started using video for teaching on a hand held camera in 2011. Video evidence is one of, if not the biggest developments in training. Once I started using video for my students and myself, I quickly realized it was a must have for teaching.
What features do you find most useful?
Organization on OnForm is by far the most useful feature. The functionality of the app is fantastic, yet the way the students, parents and other coaches are organized is unbelievably helpful. As far as functionality goes... OnForm's flexibility within the app is by far unmatched. Labeling videos, notes for videos, being able to send videos easily, importing and exporting... and OnForm has made all of these things very simple to perform. I'm a huge fan of the video auto capture feature. It's so nice to be able to set up the camera and not have to worry about filming a bunch of extra footage. Also, the audio feedback from the app makes it very useful to know when the swing has been captured. The voice over feature to send student videos is by far the best I've ever used in any program. The ability to change videos in and out during one voice over is an amazing time saver and makes for much better information for my students. What are the main things you use with the app?
Remote video sending. .. The ability for my students and parents of my students to easily record a video and send it to me. The majority of my students are in different parts of the country and world, and the voice over feature and analyzing students' videos.
What do your students think about using it?
My students find it extremely easy to use and have commented on many occasions how easy OnForm is to use. They also love the ability to record video and use the drawing features to work on their own game.
How is it helping?
The most helpful attribute of OnForm, by far, is the overall functionality. The app is built beautifully, there's no lagging between screen changes, the videos download and upload seamlessly and all of the recording and rendering is very fast. The chat feature is also off the charts helpful. My students can now send me messages directly through the app and it has completely eliminated the need for them to email me... which saves me time and helps me get back to my students much faster.
Is it opening up new ways of generating income for your coaching business?
My business was already in place when I transferred to OnForm, yet with the streamlined organization and functionality of the app, I am able to save a significant amount of time, which means I now have the ability to work with more students.
Do you have suggestions for others getting started with it?
If you have students using the app, just make sure they are recording in the library portion of the app versus the chat portion... otherwise you might end up with 50 videos in your chat section.
*If videos are recorded in the chat section, they will automatically be sent to the other person in the chat.
Has there been anything surprising you've found while using it?
Already mentioned before, but the auto-record feature was something I stumbled on that was a pleasant surprise. Unexpected and made the app, in my mind, that much more valuable.
What features do you wish it had?
The new search feature is extremely helpful, however when importing videos, you still have to scroll to find who you want to send the video. It would be nice to have the search feature everywhere where you need to find someone. -noted! - Gear
Have you used it to prescribe workouts?
That's what we do every day!
Any other comments or suggestions?
OnForm is head and shoulders the best coaching/teaching app in existence. I have almost 10 years experience with coaching apps, tried ALL of the other programs extensively and I couldn't have asked for a better teaching platform.
My suggestion for the serious athletes out there... even if you're not working with a coach, OnForm gives you the ability to easily film, organize, compare, draw lines... so that you can work on your own game. I would have done anything to have OnForm when I was coming up as a baseball player.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions about how you use the app Michael! Much appreciated. Be sure to check out Michael's website and YouTube channel
-Gear