The DP World Lions Men’s and Women’s teams will be the first teams in the country’s domestic cricket eco-system to establish a high-performance relationship with Catapult GPS Systems.
The Catapult GPS system is a wearable sports performance tracking device designed for athletes. It uses GPS technology combined with accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers to measure various metrics related to an athlete's movement, performance and physical output, empowering coaches and medical staff to make more informed decisions.
The Catapult GPS system is widely used by major sports teams and organizations around the world, including: The NFL (National Football League); NBA (National Basketball Association); English Premier League (EPL); MLS (Major League Soccer); AFL (Australian Football League); IPL (Indian Premier League) and many more.
It’s about using Catapult to gain a competitive edge by leveraging the data to optimize training, manage workload, and reduce injuries, so says team physician for Lions Cricket Dr Dhavina Naidoo.
“I can confidently say that integrating Catapult’s GPS athlete monitoring system into our player management, will be a game changer. This cutting-edge technology allows us to track player performance in real time, optimise training loads, reduce injury risks and ensure individualised care for each cricketer. By being the first domestic cricket team in South Africa to use this system, we are setting a new standard for medical care and performance management, further distinguishing ourselves from other franchises. Our commitment to innovation ensures that we stay ahead, both on and off the field.”
The system provides detailed data on distance covered, speed, acceleration and deceleration, heart rate, load monitoring (the physical strain on an athlete’s body) and deliveries bowled. Catapult is widely used in a range of other professional sports such as soccer, rugby and basketball, where teams use the data to optimize training, prevent injuries, and improve player performance.
Catapult is becoming increasingly popular in cricket, especially with teams and franchises looking for an edge in performance management and injury prevention. This is a first for domestic cricket, and Wanderers Sports Medical Centre’s Craig Govender couldn’t be more pleased.
“As a team, we strive to be at the forefront in innovation and player care. This partnership speaks volumes in terms of our determination to remain No 1 in all that we do. The results will speak for themselves.”
Cricket has unique demands and the system offers specific benefits for cricket players regarding their workload management, injury prevention, performance optimization, tactical insights, recovery and conditioning, measurement of bowling loads and generally helping teams to maintain the balance between performance and player health.
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