Faces of Shift with Playermaker
Can you explain the mission and vision of Playermaker?
Inspire soccer players and coaches with data, insights, tools, and content that empowers them to achieve higher levels of performance and enjoyment.
Nate, tell us a bit about your background – how did you end up with Playermaker?
I played soccer in college, then professionally in the US and Sweden. I ended my playing career in New Zealand, but stayed there to take a role as Executive/Technical Director of a residential academy. In that role I had to make a lot of decisions around what sports-tech we would use. So when my wife and I decided to move back to the US and start a family I transitioned to a job in sports-tech that would provide better work-life balance. This is my fourth sports-tech start up in last 12 years and I opened the US office for Playermaker in September 2023.
How does Playermaker’s technology work to enhance athlete performance and reduce injury risk?
Playermaker measures hundreds of physical (speed, distance, etc.) and technical/tactical (# of touches, passes, which foot, etc.) metrics and visualizes the data on apps and web dashboards that players/coaches/analysts use to optimize performance.
What are the main features that differentiate Playermaker from other sports performance tracking devices on the market?
Other wearables only measure generic physical data (heart rate/GPS), but since Playermaker is on both feet – we we can measure at the source of motion and deliver not only technical/tactical data, but also unique physical data.
Can you discuss any notable partnerships or collaborations Playermaker has with sports teams or organizations?
We work with many of the world’s best teams, but most notably we have a co-branded product with Manchester City called CityPlay.
How does Playermaker address the needs of different types of athletes, from professionals to amateurs?
One of the most unique things about Playermaker is that it is not just for elite/pro players, our fastest growing segment is players aged 9-13 here in the US who can buy directly online, and use it via an app on their phone.
How does Playermaker integrate with other technologies or platforms used by athletes and coaches?
Yes, these days teams at both amateur and elite pro level are using tons of data, from various sources, on a daily basis, so all companies like ours need to have features for exporting the data.
Can you share some success stories or case studies where Playermaker has made a significant impact on athlete performance?
Manchester City just set a record for most Premier League Champions is a row (4) last season and have used Playermaker during all four!
What are the future plans and innovations that Playermaker is working on to stay ahead in the sports technology industry?
Long-term Playermaker will be not only a ‘data-analysis’ solution. We are adding lots of content and features that will make it more of a ‘platform’ where individual youth players come for both information and inspiration.
Why Shift Workspaces? What made you and the team choose Shift Littleton to be your homebase?
We are a start-up so needed flexibility and a coworking space made sense, and we did not want to be downtown. So after looking around Shift was a clear winner in terms of overall value for money.
How has Shift Workspaces contributed to your team dynamic and company success?
It is great that the world has evolved post-COVID to a more flexible in-office culture, but working together in person is still really important to build culture and relationships in my opinion. Shift is a beautiful space, in an awesome location, with great amenities so it makes coming to work each day enjoyable. Additionally, the staff has been great to work with – super responsive and capable when we need them.