Using GPS to understand HOW someone moves, not just where they move through SpeedSig with Jason Weber

Pacey Performance Podcast

I this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob is talking to Coach and Founder of SpeedSig, Jason Weber. Jason first came on the podcast in 2015 when he was with the Fremantle Dockers in the AFL but since then has had roles in A-League soccer and the military.

But for the last 2 years Jason has been working on a new project, SpeedSig. In this episode, Jason takes us through his journey of using GPS to understand running loads but his frustration of wanting to understand HOW an athletes moves, not just how far they have run. This led to multiple projects and finally a PhD and a small business now working with some of the biggest sporting organisations in the world. He explains the process of capturing reliable data from lumbar and thoracic spine positioned GPS units to get metrics that help us understand that HOW.

In the second half of the episode, having visited hundreds of organisations across the world, Jason reflects on what he has seen and his own practice while working in the AFL and in soccer. He admits to "confusing the f*ck out of people with data" laterly in AFL and gives his thoughts on how people can learn from those mistakes. He is also a huge proponent of learning to code and encourages any sports scientist to go on that journey. He explains why and takes us on his own journey to master R. Jason's enthusiasm for this space is infectious and it will be of huge interest to practitioners across the world who are looking to understand HOW their athletes move using technology they are probably already wearing.

Main talking points:

• Why sports scientists should learn to code
• The SpeedSig journey
• The need to undrstand how an athlete moves, not just how far and how fast
• Collecting reliable speed signature data using GPS
• What metrics are important
• The increase in computer vision and AI tools
• Future evelopments in athlete tracking and GPS
• Reflections on the last 10 years of coaching