Inter Miami coaches use GPS to monitor players’ workouts during coronavirus stoppage
Inter Miami players can’t cheat on their workouts during the coronavirus hiatus because their coaches are monitoring them with GPS chips.
Each player was required to stop by the team’s Fort Lauderdale training facility last week to pick up a personalized GPS vest. Coaches are using the technology to keep track of the players’ assigned running programs.
“It’s the same way we do at training, we each wear a GPS vest with a GPS pod designated to the individual,” midfielder Wil Trapp said by phone Wednesday. “We picked those up last week in kind of a scheduled drive-thru type of setup. Every day we’re given runs through a team app that we use and it’s via position, central defenders, midfielders, outside backs. Each position has different running programs each day of the week. We’ve been instructed to wear the GPS pod during those running workouts so they can log our distance.”
Players have been assigned daily workouts broken down into endurance, strength, speed and agility. There are video components as well, where trainers can demonstrate what they want players to do.
Goalkeeper and team captain Luis Robles said while training apart isn’t the same as training as a team, they are making do — going so far as to use gallon milk jugs for weight and resistance training.
“Our focus isn’t going to be the same, but the training staff has provided us the regimens and GPS pod to provide oversight to make sure we do it each day,” Robles said. “It’s an unprecedented situation. It’s less than ideal. It’s tough sometimes to find a place to train, but the most important thing is for us to continue doing what our officials tell us, and practice social distancing while carving out time in our day to train.
“Most of it is running, which we can do on the street, or on a strip of grass. A couple days there is a strength portion. I don’t have weights, so one idea they gave us is to fill up a gallon milk jug and use that as a weight, so I’ve been doing that.”
Trapp has used the opportunity to set up a home gym.
“It is an exercise in how to be creative, using a lot of body weight things, ordering things online and building your own home gym,” Trapp said. “It’s something I wanted to do for a while. The club has done an excellent job of providing us the resources necessary not only to keep up with the program at home, but videos to keep guys accountable.”
Robles running more
Robles, 35, has never hidden his disdain for running, but he has changed his tune the past few weeks.
“I am not a runner by any stretch of the imagination, but a few guys live near me, so we go out and run together in the morning, and that keeps me motivated and keeps me held accountable,” Robles said. “They’re really quick and in better shape than I am. It’s allowed me to work on a part of my game that is often overlooked, endurance. Over last two weeks, I realized this is an aspect of my training regimen that I look to improve once we get back to normal.”
The time at home has allowed Robles and Trapp to spend more time with their families, and for that they are grateful. Trapp has a five-month old son. Robles has three young children.
“One thing it is really apparent to my wife and myself is we’re not cut out for home schooling,” Robles joked. “But we’re doing puzzles, bike rides, shooting hoops, taking walks. Another thing we’re thankful for is the weather here is amazing. Living in (New) Jersey for six and a half years, we’re used to March being cold, gray and drab but because of our current situation, we’re really thankful for the sunshine and 80 degrees.”
Asked how disappointed they were that the season was suspended two days before their home debut, Robles said: “There are bigger things than soccer right now. There’ll be another soccer game, another home opener. Most important thing is we aren’t just soccer players. We’re human beings, citizens and we have to help flatten the curve. Sooner or later, we’ll get back to normal.
Robles, a leader on the players’ union, participated in a conference call with commissioner Don Garber on Tuesday. He said it was “refreshing to speak to the guy on the very top of the food chain,” and that he was encouraged by what he heard regarding plans to resume the season.
Closed-door games?
“Our concern going forward is when they finally piece it all together and we do have that home opener, what is that going to look like?” said Robles. “Is it behind closed doors, where it’s just on TV, or are they going to open it up? I really hope it’s the second, but I think right now, we don’t have all the information to even make that decision.
“You do hope it ends up being a momentous occasion that includes the entire soccer community where people are there and can feel the passion.”
Trapp agreed.
“As players, so much of what we love is to be in stadiums with people supporting us and for that not to occur would be something that we would all wrestle with for sure,” said Trapp. “At the same time, your job obligates you to do things that certainly in these confines and in these times could be different than what you expect or want... We have to see what makes sense. It that means we play games behind closed doors, then that’s a hurdle we’ll cross when we get there.”