Union Soccer Players Using Sports Science Technology To Get At Peak Performance Levels

OWNER SAYS IT WAS AVAILABLE

FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY AND NOT

PART OF THE USUAL MENU.

WELL, FITES OF THE FIT ON

THE HEALTHWATCH, LOOKING

INSIDE PHILADELPHIA UNION

SOCCER TEAM, AND HOW THE

PLAYERS ARE UPPING THEIR GAME

WITH THE UNIQUE SPORTS

TECHNOLOGY.

HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIE

STAHL IS HERE TO SHOW US HOW

IT WORKS.

REPORTER: THINKS

INCREDIBLE, GUYS.

TALK ABOUT BEING IN GOOD SHAPE

PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYERS

RUN 11 MILES PER MATCH AND A

LOT OF IT IS SPRINTING.

FOR UNION THEY ARE TRAINING

INCLUDES A SPECIAL KIND OF

MEDICAL MONITORING SITS SYSTEM

THAT HELPS GET THEM IN THE TOP

OF THEIR GAME.

PROFESSIONAL SOCCER IS A GAME

OF SPEED, STRATEGY ENDURANCE

AND FOR THE PHILADELPHIA UNION

THERE IS ALSO, SPORTS SCIENCE

TECHNOLOGY.

ON THE FIELD, OVER THEIR

JERSEY THE PLAYERS WEAR A VEST

EQUIPPED WITH A HEART RATE

MACHINE FOR AND TRACKING

DEVICE.

GPS UNIT, GYROSCOPE AND

THIS HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT

THE ATHLETE IS DOING ON THE

FIELD.

REPORTER: GAR SON DRAPER IS

DIRECTOR OF PERFORMANCE AND

SAYS INFORMATION IS MACHINE

TOWARD WITH THE UNIQUE

SOFTWARE PROGRAM DESIGNED

SPECIFICALLY FOR THE UNION.

WE HAVE DATA POINTS ON

EVERYONE ALONG THE WAY.

REPORTER: SYSTEM MONITORING

SPEED, AGILITY, HOW BODY

REACTS, SO TRAINERS, COACHES,

KNOW WHEN PLAYERS CAN BE

PUSHED A LITTLE HARDER OR IF

THEY NEED TO BACK OFF.

IT IS, IT IS GOOD WAY TO,

WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT AND HOW

IT EFFECTS, YOU AS A PLAYER.

REPORTER: JOSH YARO

RECOVERING FROM THE SHOULDER

INJURY SAID TECHNOLOGY HAS

BEEN HELPFUL FOR HIM.

YOU REALLY SEE, THE

PROGRESSION IN MY RECOVERY

PROCESS.

REPORTER: TEAM'S TRAINING

ALSO INCLUDES PLENTY OF TIME,

IN THE GYM.

HERE THEY WORK ON STRENGTH

TRAINING, AND MORE ENDURANCE.

WE FEEL IT IS AN IMPORTANT

PIECE FORGETTING GUYS THROUGH

40 MATCHES IN THE SEASON.

RESEARCH SHOWS US STRONGER

ATHLETES FATIGUE LESS.

REPORTER: BEING SUPER FIT

REDUCES INJURIES WITH THE

SCIENCE OF SPORTS HELPING TO

GET THE PLAYERS, AT PEAK

PERFORMANCE LEVELS.

OUR ATHLETES ARE RUNNING

MORE, THEY ARE SPRINTING MORE

AND THEIR HEART RATES ARE

HIGHER EVERY SINGLE GAME OF

THE SEASON.

REPORTER: SO FAR THIS

SEASON THEY ARE OFF TO A SLOW

START, THE UNION WON THEIR

FIRST GAME ON SATURDAY BUT

COACHES AND PLAYERS ARE

CONVINCED THAT SPECIALIZED

TRAINING WILL HELP TURN THINGS

AROUND.

IN ADDITION TO THAT TECHNOLOGY

THE TRAINING FACILITY DOWN

THERE IN CHESTER IS AMAZING.

OH, YEAH.

REALLY IMPRESSIVE.