In soccer, speed is a critical factor that can elevate a player's performance to new heights. The dynamic nature of the sport requires rapid bursts of acceleration and agility. Whether it's sprinting to reach a through ball or swiftly changing direction to get past an opponent, speed always wins.
GPS Tracker for Football Players and Teams
An introduction to
Ben Nicholson
Ben is a performance coach who has worked in professional sport for 15 years. He has a Masters in Strength and Conditioning and has experience working across all levels of soccer from English non-league with FC Halifax Town, EFL with Bradford City and more recently in the Premier League with both Manchester City and Liverpool.
Ben currently works with Huddersfield Town alongside working privately with professional soccer players, providing them with regular performance support and coaching. He has recently joined PitcheroGPS as performance director to help provide soccer teams with expert support when using PitcheroGPS Player Trackers.
Why Ben uses GPS
"Having worked without GPS earlier in my career, I understand the challenges of operating without objective data. GPS technology has significantly enhanced my ability to boost the playing squad's physical output while minimising injury risks. It enables me to analyse the demands placed on individual players, allowing for tailored training programmes that optimise their physical development and readiness for peak performance on game days.
Additionally, GPS helps monitor training loads and identify potential overtraining and injury risks. This technology fosters a performance-driven environment where the data speaks for itself, ensuring players are in peak condition. By continually tracking and adjusting based on GPS data, we can maintain a high standard of performance and address any issues before they become serious problems."
Ben Nicholson
How Football Players Benefit from GPS
This guide reveals how every footballer can improve their performance by wearing a GPS Player Vest. GPS trackers record metrics associated with the three foundational pillars of performance: Speed, Distance, and Intensity. By monitoring these metrics, players can strive to continually surpass their limits and regularly achieve personal bests on the pitch becoming fitter and faster football players. Discover more about how GPS football trackers function and the essential data they record in the sections that follow.
Covering ground is crucial in soccer. Distance covered can often be the defining factor between an average performance and a match-winning one. A player adept at reading the game and proactively moving to occupy key spaces is invaluable to their team.
Intensity in soccer encapsulates the tenacity of a player's actions on the pitch - from sharp sprints and sudden decelerations to explosive changes in direction. It's the driving force behind a player's impact in the game. By understanding and improving intensity levels, players can optimise their performance.
GLOBALLY APPROVED
FIFA Approved
FIFA and approves the PitcheroGPS Player Tracker for use at all levels of competition. From grassroots all the way up to the Premier League.
This global certification means FIFA rigorously tested the PitcheroGPS Player Tracker for safety and approved its use in all levels of sport.
The Metrics GPS Trackers Record
The PitcheroGPS Tracker is your ultimate tool for game-changing performance insights. It accurately records key metrics to help you excel on the soccer field. Track your Total Distance covered during a game or training, how often you reach Top Speed and track your movements with interactive heat maps.
Total Distance
Total Distance
Tracking total distance is an integral feature of our tracker for soccer players, providing valuable insights into a player's match fitness and progression throughout the season.
Key benefits include:
- Gauging stamina and fatigue
- Profiling player endurance
- Providing precise distance data
Top Speed
Top Speed
Tracking the top speed can be a game-changer in soccer, offering critical insights into a player's speed, fitness. and level of performance.
Key benefits include:
- Assessing ultimate speed potential
- Pinpointing instances of top speed
- Supporting data-driven speed development
Acceleration / Deceleration
Acceleration / Deceleration
Tracking accelerations and decelerations in soccer offers valuable data about a player's agility and fitness.
Key benefits include:
- Evaluates a players reaction times
- Helps design bespoke speed training
- Assess player stamina later in the game
On the soccer field, Speed is undefeated and the PitcheroGPS Speed Training programme can make every soccer player run faster for longer.
Completed over 6 weeks and designed for players of all levels, the programme is a series of drills and exercises to improve running technique and match-day performance.
Injury Prevention
Injury Prevention
GPS tracking in soccer plays a pivotal role in reducing injury risks, supplying critical metrics that help fine-tune individual training intensity and rest periods.
Key benefits include:
- Monitor workload to avoid overtraining
- Recognising potential injury-prone patterns
- Assisting in tailoring post-injury rehabilitation programs
Total Active Time
Total Active Time
Monitoring the total active time in soccer provides a window into actual playing involvement, contributing to enhanced conditioning and game strategy.
Key benefits include:
- Improve physical conditioning and fitness
- Precise evaluation of player workload
High Speed Running
High Speed Running
Being able to sprint at high speeds is a critical skill in soccer. Understand your intensity levels in both training and matches.
In the PitcheroGPS soccer tracking app, you can configure:
- Custom speed zones for all abilities and ages
- The name of each speed zone
- The value of each banding
- Up to 8 speed bands
Impacts
Impacts
In football, physical contact is an integral part of the game. Our GPS tracker quantifies the frequency and intensity of impacts a player endures.
Key benefits include:
- Track the intensity of physical interactions
- Impact thresholds can be adjusted for different age groups
- Showcases commitment to player welfare
FAQ
A GPS vest for soccer is a wearable device that tracks a player's performance during games. It provides data on speed, distance covered, and movement patterns, helping players and coaches optimise performance and recovery. The GPS tracker is secured in the vest to ensure accurate data collection throughout the session.
Yes, the GPS soccer tracker is suitable for all positions, from goalkeepers to strikers. The GPS Vest can be worn under or over any playing kit with the tracker securely placed in the tracker pocket.
The soccer tracking vest is designed with a heat-sealed pocket that securely holds the GPS Player Tracker in place. The vest is lightweight and form-fitting, ensuring comfort while allowing the player to move freely without the tracker shifting during play.
The GPS Soccer Tracker and GPS Soccer Vest are approved by FIFA for use at all levels of competitive football across all countries. From the MLS to the Premier League.
Yes, the GPS Vest is made from lightweight, breathable materials that ensure comfort during training and matches. It’s designed to be non-restrictive, allowing players to move freely while securely holding the GPS tracker in place throughout the entire soccer game.
After a soccer game or training session, the data collected by the GPS Tracker can be easily accessed through a mobile app or desktop software. This data is presented in clear, detailed reports that allow players and coaches to track performance over time.