We're following in the footsteps of the best. Modern technology supports training.

No other academy in Poland has this type of equipment, and Borussia Dortmund, Fulham, Real Sociedad, and Benfica Lisbon, among others, are using this innovative solution. For several weeks now, the PlayerMaker system has been a part of the daily work of the U-15 team's coaching staff, and it's already yielding results. "This gives us a more complete picture of the players' skills, which aids in their comprehensive development," says Wisła Kraków U-15 coach Dawid Ślusarczyk. Soon, the equipment will also be used by the U-14 team and the younger age groups of the Wisła Kraków Football Academy.

The Wisła Kraków Football Academy received state-of-the-art PlayerMaker equipment for analyzing individual player parameters thanks to financial support from the Socios Wisła Association. This innovative equipment, used by many respected academies across Europe, enables the monitoring and analysis of individual player parameters, supporting the daily work of the coaching staff. Konrad Czajkowski, the U12-U7 coordinator and coach of the Wisła Academy's U10 team, had the opportunity to admire the results of his work during his internship at Borussia Dortmund.

"This device combines GPS vest functions with technical monitoring, creating a versatile tool. We began our initial testing with the U15 group, where the system quickly proved intuitive for both the players and us. PlayerMaker measures numerous parameters supporting physical and technical analysis. In the physical category, it monitors, among other things, distance covered by the player, running pace, number of sprints, and accelerations. This enables precise tracking of endurance and dynamics, which in turn allows for precise training planning and injury prevention. From a technical perspective, the system analyzes ball control, number of touches, intensity of ball work, and foot dominance. This provides a more complete picture of the players' skills, which aids their comprehensive development. After each match, the players eagerly analyze their results and expect feedback from us on their achievements, which increases their motivation for further work," emphasizes Dawid Ślusarczyk, coach of the Wisła Kraków U15 team.

Innovative devices that scan each player are used by Wisła Kraków's coaches in their daily work. The system will soon be used in the U-14 team's training sessions, and will then gradually be implemented in the training sessions of the Wisła Kraków Academy's younger players. Everything will be implemented step by step.

"PlayerMaker is used daily, especially in the U15 group. During each training session, we tag all exercises, which allows us to measure key physical and technical parameters, providing insight into players' progress. In the U14 group, we plan to introduce the system to weekend matches, which will allow us to analyze match situations and provide valuable player information. For the younger groups below U14, we plan regular training sessions using this technology, which will allow players to be introduced to the world of progress analysis earlier," adds Ślusarczyk.

Not just PlayerMaker. Technology is playing an increasingly important role.

The PlayerMaker system isn't the only technological innovation used by the Wisła Kraków Football Academy coaches. They also have access to VEO 3 cameras, including the top-of-the-line package. This opens up a wide range of analysis possibilities.

"The technology enables high-quality recording of training sessions and matches, facilitating subsequent analysis. Veo Analytics features allow for precise assessment of how players perform on the pitch, and storing the footage in the cloud provides easy access to the recordings. Creating player profiles allows for individual analysis of their progress, and the Veo Player Spotlight feature allows for highlighting key actions during the game. Additionally, thanks to automatic ball tracking, we can easily capture the most important moments of the match without the need for constant camera operation. This significantly simplifies documentation and subsequent discussion of match situations with the players," explains coach Dawid Ślusarczyk.

It's still just an addition

The Wisła Kraków U-15 coach clearly emphasizes, however, that in the age of modern technology, coaching skills and the ability to communicate directly with players do not lose their importance.

"The most important thing is the development of the athlete, and technology is designed to serve this purpose. Thanks to it, we can plan the training process more effectively and monitor progress, but we must not forget about the hard skills of the coach when planning training, as well as the soft skills that are crucial for reaching the athlete. The combination of technology and coaching skills allows for the individual development of each athlete," concluded coach Dawid Ślusarczyk.