Photo: Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union has had a lot of help behind the scenes as they continue their strong start, and one of the main contributors is the guest on the latest KYW Philly Soccer Show.
Joining KYW’s Greg Orlandini and Kevin Kinkead of CBS3, Philly Voice, and Philly Soccer Page is Garrison Draper, the Union’s Director of Performance, who is using sports science to help improve the team’s play on the pitch.
Draper discusses some of the statistics he uses to measure each player’s performance and how he uses that information. Draper also talks about how the Union uses nutrition and fitness techniques to get the most out each player. Garrison also goes into how he got involved in the ever expanding world of sport science.
Greg and Kevin then talk about the Union’s last game, a tough 1-1 draw at home against San Jose Earthquakes. Philadelphia was in control for most of the game, but a late goal from Simon Dawkins saw the team forced to share the points with the visitors.
The Union now have a some time off now, returning to play next Wednesday when the star-studded LA Galaxy come to Chester.
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To listen to the pod, click on the player above or visit the Philly Soccer Show iTunes page. Follow the pod on Twitter at @KYWPhillySoccer.
that discussion was way more informative and interesting than i was expecting it to be. great podcast as always
Agreed with Kyle. I thought it was fascinating to hear what the performance department is doing and hear some of the key metrics they use. I’d be very curious to learn more about what they have going on in future articles/podcasts.
Love this- helpful to youth coaches,
My favorite aspect of sports science is its use in determining who is slacking off. Constant low-level hustle in training when coupled with a higher skilled player can be overlooked. Numbers don’t lie, now everyone is accountable.
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Also loved his comments on something Jimbo and Earnie have already mentioned: we’re not going to be the richest or prettiest team, but we’ll work the hardest. I truly believe games are won off the field as much as they are on the field. Let them eat pizza!
I missed something…. What has happened to Eli?