GPS Tracking Used in World Cup for USA Soccer Players
29 Jul 2014Soccer players in the World Cup go digital with GPS tracking devices.
The 2014 World Cup recently played, and one team in particular was using advanced technology in the hopes it will get them to the finals. The U.S. team decided to incorporate technology into their game with global positioning systems (GPS). The same GPS technology used for helping tourists get directions in a new place or help researchers discover behavior traits in tigers, is now being used for sports all over the world.
Soccer is not the first sport to use this type of technology by any means. Football teams, both college and professionals, have been using GPS trackers to help improve their game and reduce injuries, for several years.
Avoiding injuries is also a reason players for the U.S. World Cup soccer team are being tracked with GPS technology. Every player wears a small tracking device on their body, which is about the size of a matchbox. It tracks the player’s current stamina and condition, including alerting the coach of severe fatigue. If there is a danger alert, the player is pulled from the field and another is sent in their place. This has been effective at preventing soft-tissue injuries which are common among soccer players.
Aside from tracking players’ health status with the GPS tracking devices, the coaches are also able to see other data that help them improve their game. Players began wearing them during practice so that coaches can see the best positions for the players, come up with new strategies to improve their game, and measure the player’s endurance during practice and live games. By doing so, they are not just relying on instinct and observing them, but advanced data from GPS technology.
Analytics tools and data configuration that is used with this technology for other uses is also being used for sports teams, including soccer teams during the World Cup. As far as the medical purpose, a physician that works for the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team reviews the data tracked in order to look for signs of physical distress and reduce injuries.
There is also an administrative staff for the team that is reviewing data during practice so that they can improve the game on an individual basis, and overall. This helps them their positioning based on each player’s strengths and weaknesses. As is being proved already, technology is now playing a major role in the success of soccer players in the World Cup.
The GPS tracking units are small, portable,l and lightweight so that they do not get in the way of the player’s game. There are also devices that can be worn at other times, such as while sleeping to determine if players are getting enough rest.
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