CHICAGO (March 29, 2018) – In a milestone agreement, the world’s largest GPS partnership will provide performance monitoring units to players across the U.S. Men’s, Women’s, Youth, Paralympic, Futsal and Beach National Teams, Development Academy clubs and NWSL.
The systematic approach between U.S. Soccer and STATSports will align data, information and support within the elite player pathway as U.S. Soccer continues its primary objective to develop world class players, coaches and referees. The partnership will result in the world’s largest player data monitoring program and is seen as a platform to identify future stars of the game. It is also the first step towards giving coaches and players across the U.S. access to the performance technology used by the top professionals and teams around the world.
A highlight of the partnership is the servicing of the technology to U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams. U.S. Soccer will provide a number of Development Academy clubs with free STATSports systems and offer Academy clubs the ability to be a part of this initiative that will help improve the development of world class players. By providing all NWSL and U.S. National Teams the technology and offering Development Academy clubs the same system, U.S. Soccer will create an unprecedented opportunity to support the knowledge and growth of the game for all elite players. As a result of this initiative, physical periodization will be optimized and talent identification will have another avenue of support.
Worn in a vest and positioned between the shoulder blades, the APEX Athlete Monitoring devices quantify physical performance including physical load and movement during training and matches for athletes. The high-resolution units measure physical metrics including distance, speed, acceleration, deceleration, high-speed running, load and heart rate. A typical training session will see millions of data points collected on a player, providing an unparalleled insight into their performance.
The STATSports APEX GPS device is cutting edge in regard to its size, accuracy and the ability to monitor in real time. The live capabilities of the APEX Team Series system make it possible to make real time decisions to adapt training or player actions. The data can be streamed to a phone, iPad or smart watch making the hardware easy to incorporate onto the training pitch.
“The APEX GPS device is the most accurate and gives us the optimal ability to support all our National Teams and Development Academy clubs,” U.S. Soccer High Performance Director James Bunce said. “The ability to utilize the system live to help make instant and informed decisions is second to none. By developing a customizable, centralized hub to analyze data from players across the U.S., we will be able to assess, monitor and optimize the physical development for those players. This project has the potential to collect data on a scale that has not been achieved before in any sport or organization and will support our mission to develop world class players through numerous avenues including benchmarking, injury prevention and talent identification.
“We believe there is tremendous potential for the APEX GPS device to track performance, improve education for parents, players and coaches, and to enhance player health and safety for the more than 4 million registered players in the U.S.”
STATSports, based in Newry, Northern Ireland, already supplies clubs in the English Premier League, including Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and the Brazil, Germany, Portugal, Belgium and England football associations. Numerous elite teams in each of the NFL, NHL, Rugby Union, NBA, Track and Field and field hockey also use the company’s APEX Team Series GPS units, which provide real-time data to players and coaches to drive improved performance.
STATSports’ suite of player development hardware and software provides U.S. Soccer coaches, high performance staff and players the ability to holistically analyze each player’s individual response to training sessions and games, through real-time feedback. This ability will continue to remain a crucial element in enhancing performance on the field while also reducing the chances of players under-training or picking up injuries through over-training.
“We are extremely excited to partner with STATSports,” U.S. Soccer Director of Sport Development Ryan Mooney said. “This technology will drive our support, improve performance, and better monitor health and safety across all of our National Teams and our nation’s elite players in the Development Academy. By partnering with a world leader in wearable performance tracking, we will help drive and improve player environments through the exchange of data between clubs and U.S. Soccer as players enter and leave National Team camps. Over time, this information will be used to research, support and educate the entire landscape.”
“By incorporating the same system of wearable performance tracking devices across the elite player landscape, U.S. Soccer for the first time has the unique ability to analyze and support all teams and players. Through a centralized hub to analyze data, U.S. Soccer will be able to disseminate insights to help elevate players across the country.”
STATSports Group Managing Director Jarlath Quinn added, “Players, parents and coaches are looking for data that can really help them improve and the APEX Athlete series GPS units do just that.”
“Key performance indicators are emerging by position that will assist with developing national standards, player development initiatives, national team selections, in-game tactical considerations, review training responses in real time and adjust practices based upon environmental change and conditions. This is an incredible initiative for STATSports, and this ground-breaking partnership will see our technology make its much-anticipated entry into the consumer wearables market.
“We know the APEX GPS units give players, coaches and sports scientists real-time data that helps improve performance. Key performance indicators are emerging by position that will assist with developing national standards, player development initiatives, national team selections, in-game tactical considerations, review training responses in real time and adjust practices based upon environmental change and conditions. The added release of the APEX Athlete Series will mean all players in the U.S. will have the ability to access this technology.”
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The U.S. Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. While U.S. Soccer continues to strive to make soccer the preeminent sport in the United States, its primary objective is to develop world class coaches, players and referees.
STATSports is the world’s leading provider of GPS player tracking and analysis solutions for elite sports teams and is worn by athletes during practice games and matches to collect intricate data on their performance and physical wellbeing. It has offices in Chicago and its headquarters are in Newry in Northern Ireland.