How FC Dallas Players Are Changing the Game With Technology

Major League Soccer has revealed that Reggie Cannon and the FC Dallas team actually use innovative sports tech—movement analysis software, tracking equipment, special vests, and more—to kick it up a notch.

Major League Soccer and Advocare are teaming up for a series focusing on the five keys to playing soccer successfully—with FC Dallas representing technology. 

The Edge video series shows how Dallas’ professional soccer team utilizes STATSports’ GPS player-tracking equipment to step up their game. This technology tracks players’ overall distances and running speeds, monitors their heart rates, and provides heat maps of where players are active on the field. 

FC Dallas’ Reggie Cannon—who has also played for the U.S. Men’s National Team—wasn’t sure about the tech at first.

“This game, especially at this level, is the game of inches. Every little thing matters,” Cannon said in a video. “As a young guy I’m thinking, ‘Why wear it?,’ but in the span of my career, it’s one of the most important things that’s helped push me to this level.”

Players wear the tracking technology in an “Apex pod,” which can be stored in a back pocket of STATSports vests. 

“This thing may look nerdy to the general crowd, but it’s very important to a soccer player’s growth,” Cannon said.

STATSports’ GPS software does more than give bragging rights to the player that covers the longest distances, it helps ensure players don’t over-train and offers useful data to guide how individual athletes can improve.

“The technology is not a hype, it’s not about jumping on the bandwagon, it’s not a trend—it’s essential,” Luchi Gonzalez, FC Dallas’ head coach, said.

This software isn’t the only sports tech the team uses. Another platform that FC Dallas employs is Fusionetics, a movement analysis software platform. FC Dallas asks its team members to do three exercises, which they can then check through the system for movement compensations. The team comes up with individualized exercise plans based on the athletes’ results, helping their players stay healthy and energized for longer periods of time.

As The Edge video illustrates, this sports technology offers FC Dallas the chance to not only improve as individuals, but as an overall team.

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