The Eyes Can Have it Better

Philadelphia Daily News

December 15, 1983

“Keep your eye on the ball” … “The quarterback sees the whole field” … “The receiver really looks the ball into his hands.”

All are familiar sports expressloas, and all involve the eyes. Many athletes are renowned for their remarkable vision —Ted Williams and Pete Rose come to mind but Dr. Arthur Seiderman thinks professional athletes and weekend types can improve their vision.

To show how serious he is, Seiderman has written a book, with Stephan Schneider, about the subject. “The Athletic Eye” (Morrow, $14.9S) provides a 30 day home visual training program to improve sports performance.

“Concentration can be trained,” said Seiderman, who operated the Sports Vision Center at Veterans Stadium before moving it to his office in Elkins Park. “You can increase visual skills and visual concentration. The book addresses the once-a-week bowler, gofer and tennis player.”

Seiderman also hopes the book will wind up in the travel bags of basketball referees, baseball umpires and football officials. In a 1982 study of 40 umpires and referees Seiderman and his staff found that 35 percent failed spacial location test invloving where objects are located in space. Two of the 40 officials he said, would have failed eye test for driver’s licences.

Seiderman said the majority of sports officials who were tested have excellent vision, a conclusion that Sixers coach Billy Cunningham, Flyers coach Bob McCaammoon, Eagles coach marion Campbell, and Phils manager paul Owens undoubtedly will dispute until the day they retire. Generally, Seiderman says athletes, including Olypmpians, Mike Schmidt and former Flyers’ golatenders Pete Peeters and RIck St.Croix have ben cooperative.

“Concentration in any sport is probably 90 percent visually related,” Schmidt told Sciderman, “Eyesight and preparation are tho two most important factors in staying concentrated out on the ball field.”
“Peeters and St. Croix said they were better able to track the puck after working with us,” Selderman said. Both goaltenders pointed out, however, that they often get only a glimpse of the puck. Seiderman suggests that hockey teams have practice drills for screening goalies. Now, if McCammon and other NHL coaches can find enough players willing to be practice dummies,er, screeners.