A Coach's Perspective: SkyCoach's role in North DeSoto's success story

When North DeSoto hired Dennis Dunn in 2019, the longtime football coach wasted very little time bringing in sideline replay technology that's reliable, affordable and easy to use for the Griffins.

Enter SkyCoach, the market leader for sideline replay and the in-game replay provider for the Canadian Football League.

Dunn, also the athletic director at North DeSoto, was already familiar with SkyCoach as he had used it during his head coaching stint at Louisiana College. His teams posted a 65-45 record from 2005 to 2017 and were nationally ranked in 2011 and 2012.

“Oh, gosh, I’ve been using SkyCoach since it’s been developed. It was invaluable to us in practice (at the college level),” said Dunn, who just wrapped up his 39th season as a football coach. Thirty-seven of those years have been as a head coach.

“With this generation, they’re all visual learners. So, having that visual tool right there on the sideline, I wouldn’t do anything else. I know the NCAA still does not allow it, but I think they will allow it at some point.”

“If I look over to the opposing sideline and they don’t have SkyCoach, I feel like we have the advantage.”

North DeSoto is coming off impressive back-to-back double-digit winning seasons in Class 4A of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, including an appearance in the state championship game in 2022 and the No. 1 seed in 2023. The Griffins came up just short of another title game this past season with a loss in the semifinals to No. 12 Opelousas.

“There’s no question that SkyCoach has advanced our in-game coaching. Prior to SkyCoach, it was all postgame learning and making adjustments after the game in preparation for the next game. With SkyCoach, it’s in-game learning and adjustments that can be made during the game as opposed to postgame adjustments when the outcome is already decided,” Dunn said.

“It can be the difference between winning or losing.” 

North DeSoto uses the SkyCoach platinum package which allows the Griffins to attach their two cameras to the SkyCoach system. One camera on top of their press box and the other on their end zone tower. They control the synchronized recordings from on top of their press box. They have two iPads in the press box that are used by coaches. They also have a custom wrapped SkyCoach TV on the sideline as well as two iPads.

The legendary Shreveport-area coach sees the SkyCoach technology as an advantage he won’t be caught without.

“It’s a next level type of tool. Without it, you don’t have the advantage as you do with it. In terms of instant feedback and the ability to coach with technology in real time, it’s real-time teaching. You can’t put a price tag on that,” he said.

“It’s an advantage that we have and I’m glad it’s working for us. If I look over to the opposing sideline and they don’t have SkyCoach, I feel like we have the advantage.”

During his nearly 40 years of coaching, Dunn has also spent time at Southwood, Woodlawn, Evangel and Pineville High Schools.