The NFL go Hi-Tech with GPS player tracking

[MikeB]

Sport has always been at the forefront of technologies, but a strange sport to embrace GPS is the USA's NFL. You would not think that running up and down a 100 yard pitch would be a prime candidate for positioning technologies, but that is exactly what the teams are starting to use to help analyse the movements to the players during training and on game days.

The palm sized puck contains a number of sensors to monitor the stresses and strains placed on the athletes body. One of the benefits of this will be to help the coaching staff understand how the player performs during different parts of the game and how the training and game day performances differ.

The following report is extracted from www.NFL.com:

NFL to use tracking devices during games, practices

The NFL is evolving in ways many never would have considered 10, 20, 30 years ago.

In conjunction with all 32 teams, the NFL will "require players to wear non-obtrusive tracking devices in select practices and games," according to a league memo sent to the clubs on Aug. 1.

The tracking devices will use various technologies to monitor "positional and performance data," including speed, distance traveled, and field locations.
Data collected from these devices will not immediately be shared with the clubs, as the league plans to work with the Competition Committee on how to best evaluate and distribute the information.

The Buffalo Bills have been using similar technology for close to a year, and feedback has been positive.

"They talk about the distance you covered and the explosiveness and how fast you're running," running back C.J. Spiller told BuffaloBills.com. "It's a good device to have."

According to the memo, it is likely that all players will be required to wear them "at some point over the next few seasons."

Tweet

_________________
Mike Barrett

[Fith]

England's Rugby team have used similar technology for a while. Take a look at the latest Horizon programme 'Monitor Me' on iPlayer.

[KalamakiBob]

This technology is widely used in Super League as detailed in this link http://gpsports.com/rugby.php

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!