On 29 September, the Department of Football of Ivan Boberskyi Lviv State University of Physical Culture hosted a guest lecture entitled «The Use of GPS Systems in Football.»
The guest speaker was Professor Utku Alemdaroğlu of Pamukkale University (Türkiye), who also works as a fitness coach with FC Shakhtar Donetsk. Professor Alemdaroğlu is a specialist in sports science, football fitness and the analysis of training load.
During the lecture, academic staff and students of the Department of Football had an opportunity to learn how modern GPS technologies are used in professional football – from collecting data on players’ physical activity to planning and adjusting the training process.
Particular attention was paid to the key indicators of players’ physical performance, including distance covered, speed, acceleration, sprinting activity and training intensity. The lecturer explained how these data help coaching staff assess players’ performance and make informed decisions regarding their further training.
The practical examples from professional football generated particular interest. Professor Utku Alemdaroğlu shared his own professional experience and presented examples related to FC Shakhtar Donetsk players, demonstrating how GPS data are applied directly in the training process.
The lecture was held in an open discussion format. Academic staff and students actively participated in the discussion, asked questions and explored the specifics of using modern technologies in contemporary football. It was particularly encouraging that some of the participants asked their questions in English, which was also noted by the lecturer.
«Today, GPS systems are not simply a technology for collecting data. They are a tool that helps us better understand what happens to a football player during training and how to plan their workload in the most effective way.»
This was one of the key messages of the lecture.
At the end of the meeting, Professor Utku Alemdaroğlu invited the participants to attend an FC Shakhtar Donetsk training session to see first-hand how GPS systems work on the football pitch and how the data they provide are used within a professional team.
The guest lecture was an excellent opportunity to combine theoretical knowledge, modern technologies and practical experience from professional football. For students, it was another important step towards understanding contemporary approaches to football training and player development.
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