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CASEY MARTIN : How exactly do Catapalt GPS products work , and why are they so important to your team ?
DAVID TENNEY : A lot of times coaches come to the table with a certain way of doing things that has always worked for them . Certain positions and players are over or under loaded based on the way that coaches train . The GPS and heart rate monitor gives us a good sense of the mechanical and heat rate demands that are made on athletes . It shows us how close to what that might be , to what guys are actually doing in the game .
CM : Why should people attend your sports seminar in Seattle on June 12 ?
DT : I saw the need for soccer coaches , strength conditioning , and sports science people not really speaking the same language . It ’ s been an event where if you ’ re a college , NBA strength conditioning or a Division I soccer coach that there will be some info there . It bridges the
SOUNDERS FC
gap between the science of what happens in the weight room to what happens in the field . Every year all sports type coaches talk about sports sciences , technology , what ’ s out there , and what people are doing . It ’ s called sports science , but it ’ s really to show the application of technology and sciences in training and performance on a daily basis .
CM : You ’ ve seen a huge decrease in the Sounders ’ tissue injuries . Why is this happening ?
DT : The goal is always to see the reduction of soft tissue injuries . Sometimes we see that and sometimes we don ’ t . I think we have seen that sports science helps us build a profile for the type of athletes that are successful in our league . Last year we did see a rise in soft tissue injury . With the travel , artificial surface , and physical style of play of MLS , there is a certain profile of a player that is better suited to meet those demands . You can reduce injuries , but ultimately you use sports science to resist injury .
CM : Can you briefly explain your fatigue management system ?
DT : We are looking at for what types of physical needs and performance needs that certain positions have . What guys have to change directions more , stop and start more , or have hit a peak or loss . It ’ s more than just being strong and powerful like a central defender . You have the individual make up of players , age , injury history , and strength / weakness postural background of what they have to work on .
CM : Who is one mentor that influenced you ?
DT : I was very lucky when I was at George Mason . From 2005-2006 , we had Greg Andrulis who won George Mason Coach of the year in 2004 . He gave me a lot of freedom and educated on the MLS game . Greg was a MLS coach who utilized sports science and showed me the ropes . I have to thank him because he made me feel like I spent two years in MLS before I even got there .
david tenney
DIRECTOR OF PERFORMANCE AND SPORTS SCIENCE
CM : How has your educational background and employment history benefited the Sounders FC ?
DT : I have a Master ’ s in exercise science / performance enhancement and a Bachelor ’ s in coaching science . I also played indoor pro for 7 years and had a short minor league career in Europe . I look at it as when I entered the profession . I thought I was just going to be a normal youth coach . I can speak the language of coaches , which I think is important as well as having a scientific background to really understand the physiological adaptations that happen with certain training styles . It ’ s just as important to be able speak the language of coaches in words they understand , but also being scientific enough to know what the physiological outcomes of training is going to be .
HEALTH & FITNESS ISSUE
photo credit Seattle Sounders FC Communications
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