When the Machine Becomes a Soccer Coach

A machine called Sportstation is now supporting coaches at Hangelar Soccer Club. The purpose of this machine is to improve the players‘ technique through digitalized training processes. This motivates them to achieve peak performance but not everything always runs smoothly.

The Sportstation machine creates a soccer pitch that shrinks to a 5×10 meter course on which the machine prescribes various training units. The footballers are then able to train their speed, coordination, dribbling and footwork with the ball through various running courses and games.

The digital co-trainer of the VfR Hangelar misses virtually nothing. Performance is recorded and evaluated by a front laser and two side sensors. This gives the players their individual training results and allows them to compare themselves with each other. If a player achieves a new best performance, they then move up a level.

However, difficulties sometimes arise. „Sometimes the technology gets stuck,” explains U19 player Felix Schell, “or the machine indicates a false start even though everything was set up correctly. Then everything is back to square one.”

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Christina Grommes

Christina Grommes, born in Troisdorf in 2000, lives by the motto “Anything is possible if you just want to”. Dancing has been one of her hobbies since childhood, which has also taught her discipline and teamwork skills. During the carnival season, she can be seen dancing passionately across the stages of Cologne’s carnival. In addition to guard dancing, show dancing and acrobatics, soccer also plays an important role in her family. No wonder that her previous works have focused on one theme in particular: sport.

Vanessa Wiemar

Vanessa Wiemar, born in Cologne in 2000, doesn’t seem to know homesickness. She was drawn to Spain at a young age for a student exchange. To find out more about her roots, she has traveled to her family in the Philippines several times and visited relatives who have emigrated to the USA. Her wanderlust and interest in foreign cultures are far from satisfied and she still has many trips to various countries on her travel list.