Every team thirsts for an edge over its rivals, and the Adidas miCoach is ready to deliver.

At the elite level even the slightest advantage can have a massive impact on performance. Enter the Adidas miCoach Elite Team System. The sports wizardry that includes a Smart soccer ball and high-tech cleats is the latest advancement in performance monitoring, gauging vital physiological data of a team in real time.

Coaches and managers can stay one-step ahead of the game by using Adidas miCoach, with data being sent straight to a tablet screen on the sideline. The system provides real-time insights during training or in-game and tracks total training impact. Not only does it accumulate and manage data but it is highly portable as well.

“As a result, all this information can be used to get more out of a team. We have created the system to provide the information that coaches really need, and have displayed it in a way that is immediately useful,” says adidas Team Sports Project Manager Matthew Hymers.

The miCoach system is anchored in state-of-the-art sensor technologies, electronics and wireless communication that together provide non-invasive monitoring of elite athletes in real-time.The system measures everything from power, speed and distance to heart rate, acceleration and field position. It delivers insights into player performance and work rate, helping teams achieve and maintain peak physical performance.

Already, the system is being used by all major league teams in the U.S. Also, Adidas has worked closely with a major Italian club team as a development partner. The German National team is currently using the miCoach Elite Team System and weaving it into their preparations for the 2014 world games. Adidas has also worked with coaches, such as legendary soccer manager Jose Mourinho, to ensure that it meets the needs of top-tier coaches.

In football, every touch counts. The system’s core miCoach smart ball developed over three years has been designed to improve technique, power, spin and accuracy through the automated coaching system. The miCoach smart ball boasts built-in sensors that track its movement and funnel the information back to the player through an app on their phone. The app is built around four key sections that help hone players’ technique through instant analysis, direct feedback, a string of challenges and a record book.

Watch the video clip of athletes hoofing the ball against an interactive screen. The added intelligence the system brings to the beautiful game promises to make it even more engrossing.“Play 90 minutes and you’ll touch the ball up to 80 times, but be in possession for only around 90-seconds. So every touch counts,” Adidas says.

The miCoach system lets you get instant feedback on your power, trajectory, spin and accuracy, “so you can stay on target and dictate play, from the park to the pitch.” The powerful wireless charger means you’ll always have the energy and connectivity to play on.

Smart Ball is set for release in 2014, but fans visiting the Adidas lab will have the chance to test it out with three shots against a giant interactive wall that projects their impact and results instantly. Consumers can experience what it’s like to be a head coach sitting on the sidelines as they watch the German National players deploying the miCoach Elite Team System.

The main focus of the system is for elite teams for now, but Adidas plans to build a system that can be made applicable to all levels of football. Who knows? In the future even the guys having a kickaround in the park might be able to wise up through using the miCoach Elite Team System.

The system consists of the following five key parts:

+ miCoach Elite PLAYER_CELL – small, sophisticated sensing device worn by players
+ Techfit Elite – advanced medium compression layer that tracks heart rate
+ miCoach Elite Base – portable receiver collecting data from the PLAYER_CELLS
+ miCoach Elite Dash – iOS app for live monitoring and real time data
+ miCoach Elite Web Application – web application for post analysis
+ The system will continue to be rolled out to adidas clubs and federations in 2013, building towards the 2014 FIFA World Cup.