GPS Technology: Changing Safety And Strategy In Soccer And Rugby

May 21, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Houston Dynamo forward Mark Sherrod (15) is tended to by a trainer after suffering an apparent leg injury against DC United during the first half at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

John Hawthorne is a travel and sports writer from Canada. He writes for www.worldcup.com.au and when he’s not writing he enjoys researching his next destination.

The game of soccer (or football, as it’s known across the pond) is commonly regarded as a grueling sport for its athletes. Many not only play for their own teams, but perform double duty during all-star events, World Cup tournaments and the Olympics. The English Premier League (EPL) has no winter break, unlike its European counterparts. UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) research shows that EPL players are four times more likely to be injured during late season games than others because of this punishing schedule.

To combat the risk of player injury, many teams are now utilizing GPS and associated technology on the field. Here’s a look at how this phenomenon started and what it shows about play in training and during games, as well as where the future of this technology is headed.

Early Use of GPS

One of the earlier users of GPS on the soccer field was the Rayo Cantabria de Santander team, a Group 3 Spanish team. Using a system designed by David Casamichana of the University of the Basque Country, the team wore GPS receivers that gathered 10 data points per second. The system was able to monitor player speed, acceleration and distance, along with other workload indicators that gave keys to the players’ physical condition at various points during training. (FIFA–Federation Internationale de Football Association–did not allow GPS units on players during games at that time. They have since reversed that decision, to much applause.)

What GPS Devices Revealed

The results of the Spanish GPS use were quite helpful, in that two major hypotheses were confirmed. First, as predicted, player intensity is increased during games versus training sessions. Second, the physical output of players in various positions is very different. Midfielders, for example, traveled farther but accelerated less than other positions.

These findings can offer several practice improvements for soccer teams:

• The best player for each position can be assigned based on factors like endurance and speed.
• Coaches can provide better strategies for their teams knowing exactly where and how they travel on the field.
• Players can tailor personal training to deal with both physiological and psychological elements of the game (e.g., getting nervous before a penalty kick, running out of steam in overtime, etc.).
• Athletic trainers, team doctors and coaches can utilize the data to prevent injuries when players are about to exceed their physical stamina thresholds.

GPS Use in Major League Soccer

In 2012, Major League Soccer players wore a similar system for their All-Star Game. MLS is growing rapidly in popularity, with 20 teams in the US and Canada, and attendance at these games now exceeds that of the NHL and NBA.

MLS players wore an Adidas miCoach Elite System that tracked GPS data, as well as heart rate and exertion, among other physiological metrics. A matchbox-sized cell positioned between the shoulder blades by a garment provided real-time data to coaches, physicians and medics on the sidelines. The cell contained a GPS unit, heart rate monitor, accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope.

The results of the MLS Adidas system tracking were similar to what was found in the Santander team. Furthermore, it gave Adidas impetus to launch its home version of the system, in which data transmitted from a special cleat could be downloaded post-workout to a mobile app (versus real-time). It also set the stage to provide fans with game time data for their favorite players.

The Future of GPS in Soccer and Other Sports

Systems similar to those described above are now being used in other major sports leagues, such as the NFL (National Football League) in the US and international rugby leagues. The British and Irish Lions rugby team, for example, now uses a Catapult GPS/Accelerometry System during their games to compete with teams from New Zealand and Australia, who have been quietly using the technology since 2010.

The Kiwi and Aussie teams found GPS technology particularly valuable in sevens format games, where with fewer players, monitoring fatigue and tackle force is of vital importance to player health. They have been able to both reduce injuries and make more strategic bench substitutions. And it appears to be working; the New Zealanders were the Rugby World Cup winners in 2011, and Australia placed close behind in third place. With rugby making its debut as an Olympic sport in 2016, you can bet this technology will be at the forefront of training around the globe.

And what of GPS in soccer? In the World Cup latest news for 2015, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is coming up in June and July in Canada. It’s highly likely that many of the women’s teams will be sporting GPS devices, either during games or pre-tournament training sessions, thanks to changes in FIFA rules. By the time the men’s World Cup in Russia rolls around in 2018, who knows how far the technology will have advanced? Anything’s possible, but it’s sure to be beneficial to teams and exciting for fans.