Stanford, Kansas State Football Teams Sign Up To Use GoRout Wearables

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Two major college teams will use technology to improve practices this season, and more could soon follow.

GoRout, which provides small, wearable screens that enable coaches to wirelessly send plays and information to players on the practice field, says it has signed deals with both Kansas State and Stanford, and that it hopes to add several more schools in the next two weeks.

CEO Mike Rolih says the latest deals with two Power 5 teams are part of the company’s goal to work with 3 percent of the nation’s high school and college programs by the end of next year.

“We’re pretty excited about where we’re going,” Rolih said. “We’re starting to see traction.”

The Kansas State contract came after the school hosted a coaching clinic with 200 high school teams and saw firsthand how GoRout saved time and made drills more efficient, Rolih said. The company says its system can help teams yield 20 percent more practice time.

Stanford was similarly sold after GoRout spent two days demonstrating the technology to coaches and staff, Rolih said. He said that endorsement was especially meaningful.

“It says a lot about what our product can do that it was impressive to Silicon Valley,” Rolih said.

The Rochester, Minn. company is also building its prep market. It just signed on to provide 22 of its units to each team in next year’s U.S. Army All American Bowl, which features 100 of the best high school players nationwide.

GoRout was one of three winners at the NFL’s “1st and Future” event at this year’s Super Bowl in Houston, where startup companies competed for $50,000 grants based on commercial viability, innovation and how they would improve the game of football.