Why Do Soccer Players Wear Sports Bras? It's Not What You Think It Is!

I just finished watching a soccer practice match and noticed some players wearing what looked like sports bras, which made me do a double-take. 

Interestingly, some say it's chaffing nipple protection, while others say it's back support. Let's find out what the real deal is.

So What Are These Exactly?

So these "sports bras" are actually stat vests or athletic vests used for getting player data. Decades back, tracking athlete movements accurately on the field was a real challenge, especially in fast-paced sports like soccer. That's where the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) stepped in, leading the development of wearable technology that would now revolutionize sports performance.

Since then, wearable tech evolved and there have been so many kinds that have been developed. Elite soccer clubs utilize this to their advantage to observe players’ performance and patterns, prevent injuries, and make necessary adjustments to their training and overall gameplay.

How Does This Athletic Vest Work in Soccer?

Soccer teams use these vests depending on the required technology. However, the most common ones we see are GPS trackers. These are worn on the upper back area through stretchy bras and are connected to satellites in low earth orbit. 

GPS trackers are most helpful in outdoor sports, as they create heat maps that compute speed, distance, and acceleration. Big names in the industry, like Catapult and StatSports, provide wearable GPS trackers that go beyond simply tracking these metrics.

It provides a clear picture of player performance which is highly important for coaches. They can use it to understand and create training programs specific to each player's needs. 

The Future of Athletic Wearables 

Funny how these vests may look but they actually play a key role in player performance. They are integral to the team's success. Now, this makes every match even more interesting to watch as technology blends in with soccer. And also something new for us to learn about!

I hope sooner that these wearables will become essential tools for all professional soccer teams and will likely integrate AI for smart tracking, a combination of other features like GPS, heart rate monitor, Local Positioning Systems (LPS), and gyroscope for seamless data collection, and more personalized coaching.