Implementation of Technology in Training

Wellness and performance tracking has become very popular with the rise of GPS tracking, VBT devices, and force plates. These are all great tools that have given us much greater insight into how athletes perform, recover, and adapt to stimuli. But the decision-making process should not end with the number on the report. When implementing technology with any individual or team, the outputs from these devices should be aiding in the decision-making process rather than replacing it.

While at Springfield College, I created a wellness monitoring system that allowed our department to track athletic wellness and workload. The system was widely adopted because it allowed us to initiate conversations about training and recovery. However, I made a mistake when I first implemented it because I made decisions based on the data alone. I neglected to consider any other factors or training variables that athletes interact with daily.

As more technology becomes available to us and others in the profession, the two questions that should remain constant are, “Which performance question am I trying to answer?” and “Will this technology help me answer that question?”. Once they have been answered, you can dive deeper into the nuances. We cannot forget that great coaches before us could develop championship athletes and teams without technology. Even though it is available to us, it may not always be necessary.