Statistics that Help Win a Match

A tracking system for athletes, currently used by the Montreux Volley Masters, provides real-time statistics during the game on players and the ball. Developed by Playfulvision, an EPFL start-up, the device will soon be available for various team sports in a version for GoPro cameras. At the Montreux Volley Masters 2014, which is taking place through Sunday in Montreux, statistics on movement, the speed of the players and the ball - and even the strike angle - can be viewed online. This is a valuable tool for improving performance. "Obtaining this data during the competition allows us to better assess key moments in the match," explains Georges-André Carrel, coach of the volleyball team at the University of Lausanne (LUC). "For example, we can see which player receives the ball, what he does with it and at what angle, and thereby organize the defense." The overlay of some of these statistics on the images during televisual retransmissions augments the match with new information. Developed by the start-up Playfulvision, this new tool is about to be used in all international volleyball competitions.