If the women of Central Michigan University's soccer team possess more zip these days, there's a reason.
A GPS-based tracking system has the Chippewas "training smarter" than athletes at many other colleges. Players are reported to be in peak shape and injuries are way down.
Each player wears a small GPS device in games and practices that picks up movement, distance and speeds.
Paul O'Connor, a health sciences faculty member in The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions, and Dylan Fitchett, an assistant director of strength and conditioning for CMU athletics, say the system is a huge success in its third year this fall.