Comparing Global Positioning System and Global Navigation Satellite System Measures of Team-Sport Movements.

Abstract

To compare data from conventional global positioning system (GPS-) and new global navigation satellite system (GNSS-) enabled tracking devices and to examine the interunit reliability of GNSS devices. Interdevice differences between 10-Hz GPS and GNSS devices were examined during laps (n = 40) of a simulated game circuit and during elite hockey matches (n = 21); GNSS interunit reliability was also examined during laps of the simulated game circuit. Differences in distance values and measures in 3 velocity categories (low <3m·s-1; moderate 3-5m·s-1; and high >5m·s-1) and acceleration/deceleration counts (>1.46 and <-1.46m·s-2) were examined using 1-way analysis of variance. Interunit GNSS reliability was examined using the coefficient of variation (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficient. Interdevice differences (P < .05) were found for measures of peak deceleration, low-speed distance, percentage of total distance at low speed, and deceleration count during the simulated game circuit and for all measures except total distance and low-speed distance during hockey matches. Interunit (GNSS) differences (P < .05) were not found. The coefficient of variation was below 5% for total distance, average and peak speeds and distance and percentage of total distance of low-speed running. The GNSS devices had a lower horizontal dilution of precision score than GPS devices in all conditions. These findings suggest that GNSS devices may be more sensitive than GPS devices in quantifying the physical demands of team-sport movements, but further study into the accuracy of GNSS devices is required.