Franklin and Marshall College
Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the NCAA Division III Franklin & Marshall College was among the first colleges to adopt Catapult wearable technology. Using the system with its women’s lacrosse team, Franklin & Marshall has enjoyed great success in the sport in recent years.
At the heart of Franklin & Marshall’s sporting ethos is the drive to contribute to the holistic development of its 2,400 students. Bringing these principles to the lacrosse program is the Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach, Mike Faith. This year marks Mike’s eighth successive season with the team, having previously guided the Diplomats to an overall record of 130-32 during his seven seasons to date.
Achieving efficiency and supporting coaching decisions
Mike was first introduced to Catapult in 2017 and was immediately intrigued by the potential of the technology in lacrosse. At the time he was investigating the methods Division I programs were employing to stay ahead of the game, and Catapult wearables represented an affordable technology that could put Franklin & Marshall on the same path.
After finishing his research, Mike approached Catapult to see how the Diplomats could use wearable technology to develop a more efficient program and mitigate the risks of injury. “My goal at the time was to become more efficient with running practices and to be mindful of not over training the players so we have less injuries throughout the year.”
The wearable devices are used by the lacrosse players in practices and games. “I look at Power Plays, Sprint Distance, and total distance every day we train,” Mike says. In doing so, these metrics have provided an objective platform from which to support coaching interventions and decisions.
“If two players are playing the same amount of time on the field but one of them is sprinting more than the other and producing more Power Plays then I will bring that player in and show her the numbers,” Mike explains. “It’s nice to have actual data to back up what myself and my assistants think we are seeing in games and in practices.”
Training insights and a positive impact on players
The data from games has been used to influence the training plans Mike puts together. Catapult wearables has allowed Mike to analyze which players are getting more game time than others and adapt training accordingly.
“We base our practices on what the numbers show from the game or practice we just had. So if we had a game, the players who didn’t play in the game will get more reps the next day to give the players who played more time to recover”
In addition to providing training insights, wearable technology has been received positively and allowed individual players to be accountable for their performances.
“My players absolutely love wearing the devices,” Mike says. “They look at their numbers and they set goals for practices and in games for where they want to be. They also know that the coaches are going to see the numbers after the game or practice so they play even harder to make sure they max out while they are on the field.”
Collaborating with Catapult
Over recent successful seasons, Catapult has featured heavily in the Diplomats practices and games. As a result, Mike and his Assistants have contacted Catapult on occasion and enjoyed collaborating with our product and operations teams.
“We went with Catapult because of the customer service they provide and the attention to detail they bring to calls and in person meetings. I have nothing but positive things to say about Catapult. They are very quick to respond if there is an issue or a question. I would highly recommend Catapult to coaches who are looking for an edge on their opponents.”
Interested in finding out how Catapult can help your team find its competitive edge? Get in touch, today.