Since Zepp started launching wearable devices for baseball, golf, tennis and softball over the past three years, it finally decided it was time to launch a sensor for the world’s most popular sport.
Earlier this month, the digital sports training device and sensor company launched Zepp Play Soccer to track on-field statistics and capture :10 second video highlights. Some of the metrics include overall distance traveled, number of kicks, kick speed, sprints and top speed recorded in-game. The wearable device syncs with a smartphone via Bluetooth and slides into a calf sleeve as part of the product, which retails in stores and online for $99.
According to Bill Lucarelli, Vice President Global Sales and Marketing at Zepp, it’s a training and performance sensor that can be used by athletes at all skill levels.
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“We can cater to the masses because whether you are an eight-year-old who is just playing in a recreational league or a 16-year-old with aspirations of college or you’re a college student who just wants to track their metrics during the course of the entire game, we see that there’s a tremendous mass appeal,” added Lucarelli.
He explained that consumers are supposed to use the information themselves to determine how to improve their game. While the Zepp Play Soccer app is geared toward individuals, it is also meant for teams, universities and club organizations, too. The “Team Mode” feature allows multiple sensors to connect to the same activity, so players can compete against each other and compare various running, speed and kicking statistics. Additionally, the new metric gives trainers and conditioning coaches a wide swath of data from their team.
The app’s highlight reel tool also lets coaches and parents record footage of their players wearing the small sensor during a game or practice. For family members or friends who cannot attend a game, for example, the highlight-reel package is an ideal way for them to stay updated on a player’s performance on the pitch.