LONDON, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After a successful launch in Europe earlier this year, PLAYR, the next-gen soccer product by market leaders Catapult Sports, is now available in the U.S. PLAYR is unrivalled technology that will provide competitive club soccer players with the insight and tools to train, prepare, recover and play just like the world's elite.

Using an advanced tracking system that records up to 1,200 movements per second, PLAYR is the only soccer wearable system that combines GPS heat maps – showing sprint, distance and speed data – with a unique real-time SmartCoach app, created in partnership with the help of Premier League performance specialists. Consumers can now benchmark their match and training data against the greatest players in the world, as well as their soccer peers and community.

"There are 3 million elite aspirer players and more than 40 million FIFA registered competitive soccer players worldwide. We designed PLAYR with them in mind and helping them train and play like the world's elite. For the first time, PLAYR will help enhance their skills and performance with the same technology previously only available for elite teams," said Benoit Simeray, Consumer CEO of Catapult.

Catapult's technology, previously only available to professionals at elite teams and currently being used by the likes of Chelsea FC, LA Galaxy and DC United, is now available to soccer players at every level. PLAYR has handpicked the best professional soccer coaches and sports scientists to provide individually tailored advice on preparation, performance and recovery:

• Tony Strudwick: Head of Performance for Wales FA and ex Head of Performance at Manchester United
• Matt Reeves: Head of Fitness and Conditioning for Leicester City FC
• Chris Barnes: Soccer Performance Consultant with 20+ years' experience at Premier League clubs

The PLAYR system consists of three elements: the SmartPod, SmartVest the SmartCoach App. With wireless charging and five hours' battery, the ultra-light SmartPod tracks accuracy to the nearest 100cm and is durable in all weather conditions. The stretch-fit SmartVest incorporates smart activation, with the pod slotting in and turning on through magnet control. The SmartCoach App gives access to elite sports science advice and rapidly turns raw data into actionable insights and sport science advice from nutrition to sleep, coaching the user towards game day.

"At Manchester United, we had a responsibility to apply a sports science strategy to innovate for our players. Making performance data, innovation and sports science more accessible to soccer players of all levels will only improve ability and PLAYR can be considered a game changer in that respect," said Tony Strudwick, Head of Performance for Wales FA and ex Head of Performance at Manchester United.

PLAYR (retail price $249) is available for purchase online; for a limited time, PLAYR is offering a free extra SmartVest when purchasing a PLAYR system at www.playrsmartcoach.com. PLAYR is also available at partner distributors B8ta.com, Amazon.com, SOCCER.COM and WorldSoccerShop.com.

About Catapult Sports

Catapult Sports exists to build and improve the performance of athletes and teams. With precision engineering at the intersection of sports science and analytics, Catapult products are designed to optimize performance, mitigate the risk of injury and support return to competition. Over the past ten years, Catapult has provided performance analytics to the world's leading sports organizations. Chelsea, Bayern Munich, the New York Giants, Houston Rockets, English Cricket Board, Scottish Rugby Union, AFL and Australia Rugby Union have all benefited from Catapult insights. Today, Catapult has over 300 staff based across 24 locations worldwide, working with over 1,800 elite teams from 35 different sports globally. Catapult Group International Limited (CAT) is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

Media Contact:

Pablo Arellano, AC&M Group, pablo.arellano@acmconnect.com, 704-697-4400, 336-953-7738 (mobile)

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SOURCE Catapult Sports