Nike, U.S. Soccer Federation collaborate on research lab at new training center
Nike will have a performance innovation and sports research lab within the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center being built in Fayette County and scheduled to open within the next few months.
Nike is a founding partner of the new center, which will be the home of the U.S. Soccer Federation and its 27 teams.
David Wright, USSF’s chief commercial officer, said the discussions to include the lab started more than a year ago.
“At the heart of the discussion was the athlete, and so how do we bring the two together in support of the National Training Center in a really meaningful and authentic way that is more than just a financial investment,” he said.
“It’s going to be with the athlete in mind, and our ability to really create a destination and a hub for athletes at all levels, right here at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center.”
The lab, named the Nike Sport Research Lab, will focus on kinesiology and biomechanics of not only the soccer players who will call the center home, but athletes from various sports.
Nike will have at least one staff member present in the lab to oversee equipment and technology. The lab will be similar to one Nike has at its sports research lab at its headquarters in Oregon.
The lab will measure several elements, such as a player’s volume of oxygen max and metabolism. A biomechanics area will study patterns of movement for increased performance and injury prevention. The lab will also have motion-capture technology to track movement on a treadmill and create an individualized assessment of an athlete’s running profile. There will be other pieces of equipment for research added as needs arise.
“We’re viewing the entire National Training Center as an innovation hub,” Dr. Teena Murray, director of high performance at U.S. Soccer, said in a statement provided by USSF. “There’ll be data streams throughout the facility that will give us insight into athlete health and performance — a model similar to a teaching hospital.”
Nike’s dedication goes as far as the use of 60,000 of its shoes ground up to provide 35,000 square feet of flooring in the lab and locker rooms throughout the center.
Nike and USSF are using the descriptor “lab” instead of research center because they said labs are faster paced and focused on scaling ideas.
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