byLarry EderIPICO Sports has been our short list of sports timing software developers for several years now. This most recent application is very exciting. After a short conversation with Gordon Westwater, CEO of IPICO Sports and Glenn Latimer, Senior Director for Global Sales at IPICO Sports, I became fascinated with the A-Pass system for grade schools.
IPICO Sports helps combat the decline of children’s aerobic fitness
Low-cost, High Performance Aerobic System for Schools
Charlotte, NC, April 30, 2013: Worldwide, children’s aerobic fitness is declining with about a rate about 4% per decade. To help revising this trend, IPICO Sports, a global leader in timing systems, is pleased to launch A-PASS!, a low-cost high performance scoring and timing system for aerobic fitness tests and other school physical activities.
The A-PASS!, Automatic Physical Activity Scoring System is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) and was developed to simplify the scoring of ALL aerobic capacity assessments of FITNESSGRAM® (the PACER, 1-mile run, and the walk test). The system lessens the workload on teachers and coaches along with having the capability of being able to assess other fitness or school activities.
IPICO Sports’ A-PASS! was developed under the direction of Marius Van Dyk, Technical Director of IPICO Sports, and with guidance by Dr. Weimo Zhu and his team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The aim was to develop a simple, portable, easy to use tool that can be used to automatically capture singulated/bulk performance test events or even user defined events (i.e activity games) using IPICO’s technology.
“This new addition to the IPICO Sports’ lineup will now bring world class technology and performance to the classroom,” states Gordon Westwater, Chief Executive Officer of IPICO. “Getting our younger generation active and encouraging a fitter youth, is important to our core values as an organization and we are proud to offer this solution.”
The A-PASS! is the perfect use of advanced technology to help solve current testing issues and an essential tool that will allow long-term tracking of fitness levels through measurement and assessment. The system makes it easier for the teacher to score and collect fitness data with immediate feedback to the teacher and the students. The collected data can easily be uploaded into FITNESSGRAM® (a well-known fitness assessment program that is also used by the Presidential Youth Fitness Program). In addition, the A-PASS! can be used for many other running/walking and assessment tests such as football’s 40 yard dash, the yoyo test, soccer’s shuttle run test, timing running, and walking activities, etc. Participation in these tests and activities will help combat childhood obesity.
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About IPICO Sports
IPICO Sports designs, manufactures, and markets innovative timing systems for active sports applications, training, and physical fitness testing. Our award winning products satisfy the demands of events of all types and sizes. IPICO Sports technology is designed for running, mountain biking, swimming, Nordic sports, and other events, including multi-sport races. Our goal is to put the latest technology in reach of everyone – from professional organizations, big event organizers, professional timers, schools, municipalities, health and sports clubs, to local training groups and individuals. Since its initial market introduction in March 2007, IPICO Sports systems are now used in over sixty (60) countries, and continue to develop and grow a loyal global following.
For more on IPICO Sports, please go to www.ipicosports.com
