Winning is of the utmost importance for the WHS boys soccer team, and athletes are willing to do whatever it takes to improve their game. They aren’t just playing harder, but they are also playing smarter with the assistance of technology such as Catapult’s PlayerTek.
The PlayerTek device is attached to a sports bra that players wear under their jerseys. It has a GPS tracker that connects to a satellite which initiates the tracking of the data. After a game or practice, the data gets uploaded to the app PlayerTek, where all the data can be read.
PlayerTek’s data provides information such as total distance covered, sprint distances and high-impact plays. The team uses this information to make individual and team improvements after games and practices.
Head coach Eric Shaw first discovered PlayerTek at the United Soccer Coaches meeting in Baltimore in 2016. He was interested, especially seeing that many major European soccer clubs used the same technology.
The product is expensive; each tracking pod costs between $50 and $70, and with over 20 players on the team, it becomes costly. While it’s covered by the boosters, Shaw thinks it’s worth every penny. He said, “It’s easy to use, and most importantly, the data helps us understand what a player has done in that certain game or training session.”
For the players, the use of PlayerTek sparks interest. Senior Sam Zafra, a member of the team, has enjoyed using the device throughout the season. “I think it’s a beautiful design that they’ve created. I can just take in data that I have used throughout my training sessions and my games to see how much energy I’m exerting. It’s a good way to debrief,” he explained.
Zafra also added that checking his numbers after each game has become a habit, as he is always eager to see how he stacks up against his teammates and where he can improve.
Another player, senior Jake Pardes, appreciates the PlayerTek data as well. He finds the data useful for evaluating his game performance and tracking his efforts. He said, “I think it’s helpful for the coaches when they’re deciding how to manage us.”
He explained that the data has allowed coaches to change the intensity of practices based on how much each player played in the previous game which he believes helps him stay fresh.
Despite the positive impact that PlayerTek has had on the team, Shaw notes that using technology is not always simple. Sometimes downloading data from the pods takes longer than intended, specifically when software issues limit how many pods can download at the same time. “It’s time-consuming sometimes,” Shaw said, but he also stated that Catapult’s support team has helped resolve issues. “Every once in a while, a pod won’t work, but Catapult’s been pretty good with those situations.”
In addition to tracking individual stats, PlayerTek has helped show a bigger picture of how the WHS team performs on the field. Shaw can analyze trends over time to see whether players are improving or require rest based on their data. Shaw said, “It gives us a picture of a player helping us to understand their workload and tailor training or recovery as needed. If a player has hit a high number of sprints or covered a lot of distance, we might give them a day off or a lighter practice session the next day.”
With this technology, WHS athletes can push themselves to new limits while remaining healthy and focused. Shaw stated, “The team has had fewer injuries and fatigue allowing them to perform at a higher level.”
Zafra said, “We’ve been able to be a healthy functioning team that’s fit and running to the best of our ability.”
With another successful season for the Blue Devils, the use of technology like PlayerTek shows glimpses into the future of high school athletics, allowing athletes to perform at their best while preventing injuries.
