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JOHAN, a new sports tracker and app supported by the European GNSS Agency (GSA), can help improve teams by monitoring on-field performance.

JOHAN, the global tracking system for field sports, has delivered its first systems to two clients. The small, lightweight trackers GNSS technology such as EGNOS, to ensure reliability and precision while measuring position, speed, distance and three axes of accelerations and orientations of players.

After winning the European Satellite Navigation Competition in 2013, JOHAN’s founders Jelle Reichert and Robin Van Kappel began to work on production. A live demonstration during the 2014 European Space Solutions conference and promotion in conjunction with the World Cup at the European Space Expo in Prague helped build momentum. Johan is currently in the final testing stage, with a commercial launch slated for December 2015.

“We are very excited about moving into this phase,” says Reichert. “We now have our full focus on user-based development, meaning we can bring more value to our users based on their demands.”

Ensuring Precise Information

JOHAN trackers are small and lightweight, fitting into vests worn by players of a variety of field sports, though early adopters have all been football teams. The trackers measure location, speed, distance, acceleration and orientation statistics, which are then visualized in an online data platform for coaches and players.  Through GNSS technology, each tracker ensures precise and reliable information.

After each use, players and coaches can monitor workload, performance, tactical information and event analysis, allowing players to spot weaknesses and improve their game over time, and coaches to utilize certain players’ strengths to the team’s advantage.

“You can see who is training too hard and who has a higher chance of injury, as well as who is strong in which performance aspects, such as endurance, sprint, agility or recovery,” adds Reichert.

Attracting Attention

So far, the Dutch company has garnered the attention of three clients: De Graafschap, FC Volendaman and FC Enidhoven, all leading soccer teams in Holland.

In the final testing phase, interested clients are welcome to request a free trial of JOHAN, where the founders will come to track a team, upload the data and demonstrate how to analyse performance.

Winners of the 2015 edition of the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) will be announced on 20 October during an award ceremony in Berlin. You can learn more past winners of the GSA Special Prize here.

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