Lehigh men’s soccer team catapults into season

The Lehigh men’s soccer team is embracing new technology and core team values, to elevate their performance.

The team has adopted Catapult, a sports technology device that tracks data including players’ fitness, efforts and workload. It recognizes if players are overexerting themselves to the point of potential injury — a phenomenon called redlining.

The devices’ data insights prompt personalized mileage and overall workload goals to keep the players fit and healthy throughout the season. 

Coach Dean Koski said he views Catapult as an essential tool for optimizing player health.

“The technology has benefited us by providing a clear idea of the load we want to average per training session,” Koski said. “It ensures we’re not overworking or underworking our players.” 

Koski said one of the most significant improvements the wearable technology has provided is the minimization of soft tissue injuries among players. 

He said late October is when injuries start to take over, but he’s hoping the data will help the staff manage workload better. 

Koski said the data allows the coaching staff to make informed decisions to keep their players healthy, whether that means withholding them from certain parts of practice or sitting them out of a game. 

Junior captain Beckett Wenger said Catapult’s data accessibility has been a great addition to the team’s regimen. 

He said he appreciates the ability to compare his efforts with teammates in his position and use the data to understand where he can improve. 

Senior goalkeeper Ryan Gross also said he’s seen a significant impact since the team decided to implement Catapult. He said the technology has aided in managing player health, especially since the team has seen many injuries in previous years. 

First-year defender Paul Smajlaj (right) competes against first year midfielder Giacomo Zizza on Sept. 17 during a drill at practice. During practice, the team has been wearing the new Catapult fitness trackers underneath their shirts to measure their heart rates as they play. (Lauren Slovensky/B&W Staff)

In addition to Catapult, the team has outlined individual and team goals to guide their journey toward success. 

The team’s primary objective is to make it to the Patriot League playoffs and push further than previous years. 

Koski also said dailygoals, such as shots on target and player recognition are important.

“(It’s) beyond winning and losing,” Koski said. “The micro- and macro- goals incentivize our players to see that they’re making progress in these areas.” 

Koski said the micro- goals serve as weekly reminders the team is heading in a positive direction. 

These new core values, developed by the team’s leadership council and coaching staff, are known as “Integritas,” a Latin term meaning “one” or “whole.” The word embodies the standard that the team must play as one unit and support each other at all times.

Koski introduced Integritas to foster long-term standards for his team. With plaques in the locker room, the half-time room and wristbands, Koski wanted to ensure the team’s core values are always forefront in the players’ minds. 

“We want this to be a long-standing tradition, not just something the team feels today,” Koski said. “We want it to remind us what Lehigh Soccer stands for.”

Wenger said he’s noticed that the addition of the team’s new goals and core values has created a significant shift and reshaped their team culture through an increased level of focus and determination compared to previous years. 

“I enjoy having those goals in front of us so we’re staying on track,” Wenger said. “It’s in our locker room, and we see it every day. Everyone contributes collectively.”

Gross said the core values have set the standard for all players, especially the first-year players. 

He said the team culture has significantly improved compared to past years, and the new team members have done a great job following the example set by the upperclassmen. 

“There hasn’t been any dip in energy or effort from the younger guys,” Gross said. “In fact, some of them are working harder than upperclassmen.” 

Wenger said these values will leave a lasting legacy, giving future generations of Lehigh Soccer something tangible to live by. 

Similarly, Gross said these core values give present and future players something to remember. 

“This is what Lehigh soccer stands for,” Gross said.