The Modernization of Monitorization: Technological Adaption and Innovation as Mechanisms for College Athlete Surveillance

Athletes competing in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletics have long been monitored by their respective athletic departments. As technology continues to advance and become more socially pervasive, many NCAA member institutions have issued wearable technology devices to athletes. The present study sought to examine the function of such implementation of wearable technology in collegiate athletics. Findings from interviews with current NCAA athletes reveal the widespread use of wearable technology in collegiate athletics has resulted in the increased surveillance of athletes. Such surveillance was most notably mentioned with regards to athletic performance tracking, invasive sleep tracking, and general location tracking. In addition, participants stated that while implementation of wearable technology within training programs was instrumental in improving performance, such increasing biometric monitoring was detrimental to individual development and occasionally fostered dissension among teammates. Accordingly, this research calls into question the use and function of wearable technology in collegiate athletics.