Introduction to Sports Performance Analysis and Notational Techniques
Workshop Logistics and Course Introduction
Course Personnel and Communication
Lecturer: Pete (working at UC for 10 years). Background includes a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), a Master’s in Sport Management, and industry experience.
Tutors: Dom (tutor and part-time employee with the Tactics) and Troy.
Office Location: Located on the 200 level.
Contact: Email and phone number are provided for students. General rule: do not call late at night; texting is preferred for urgent matters.
Computer Lab Access
Availability: The lab is accessible 24/7.
Entry Requirements: Students must use their student ID card to swipe in. If access is required after 05:00 PM, a PIN is necessary. This PIN is established during student ID setup and is the same as the library PIN.
Security: If access issues occur, students should visit UC Security on Island Road.
Workshop Reports and Grading
Frequency: There will be 9 workshops in total. No reports are required in Week 6 and Week 12 (scheduled breaks) or Week 11 (due to presentations).
Grading Weight: Each report is worth approximately . Successfully completing 8 out of 9 reports equates to of the total course grade.
Structure: Reports are one-page, open-book summaries of what was learned during the session, facilitating active recall through writing.
Networking and Career Development
Industry Connections
Performance analysis is highlighted as a rapidly evolving field. Pete emphasizes the importance of networking (e.g., student Mitch became a team manager after an internship when the previous manager tore an Achilles; Sam Start, a Year 4 teaching student, is an assistant coach).
UC Success Stories: Three UC players have played for New Zealand in 3x3 basketball (e.g., Aiden Tonj).
Professional Mindset
Students are encouraged to develop high Emotional Intelligence (EQ), adaptability, and relatability.
The goal is for students to "dream big," aiming for roles in national programs or Olympic-level competition (e.g., New Zealand’s 3x3 Basketball targeting Olympic and Commonwealth Games).
The Five Core Pillars of Performance Analysis
Performance analysis in sport is generally categorized into five fundamental dimensions:
1. Technique Analysis
Focuses on the biomechanical execution of specific skills.
Example (Hockey): Analyzing the "hitting" technique. Evaluative questions include: Where is the stick positioned? Where is the head? Are the legs properly aligned? Is the player facing the target?
2. Effectiveness Analysis
Measures the success rate of actions, often using binary or ordinal scales.
Binary Example: Shots on target vs. shots off target in football.
Ordinal Example (Rugby Tackles):
Dominant: Pushing the opponent backward.
Neutral: Bringing the player down on the spot.
Passive: Moving backward while making the tackle.
Calculation: Can be expressed as a simple success percentage (e.g., success rate).
3. Tactical Analysis
Examines the execution of pre-determined strategies and decision-making frameworks.
Example (Hockey): The "press." Analyzing when it is used, where on the field it occurs (left vs. right), and whether the team is executing the predetermined plan.
4. Movement Analysis
Focuses on the physiological and spatial demands on an athlete.
Technology: Primarily utilizes GPS units and heart rate monitors.
Metrics Captured: Meters gained, total speed, speed bands (e.g., number of sprints over ), and impacts.
5. Decision-Making Analysis
Evaluates the choices made by athletes in real-time game situations.
Impact: Impacting a player’s decision-making is considered the pinnacle of high-level performance analysis.
Specialized Fields within Performance Analysis
Physiology
Analyzes physiological demands and workload.
Work Rate: The analyst tracks how much work athletes do to inform training and recovery.
Recovery Protocols (Crusaders Example): The Crusaders rugby team implemented a recovery points system where players must earn points before training again (e.g., eating a banana = points; hot/cold therapy = points).
Biomechanics
Uses technology to record and analyze movement angles and technical flaws, often comparing good shots vs. bad shots side-by-side.
Notational Analysis
The fundamental practice of recording events manually using pen and paper.
Frequency Tables: Tallies of events (e.g., lineouts won/lost/crooked). Useful for calculating ratios and percentages but lacks chronological detail.
Scatter/Field Diagrams: Visual plotting of events on a diagram of the field/court. Provides location data and is easy for coaches to digest.
Cricket Example: The "Wagon Wheel" tracks where a batsman hits the ball to identify strengths and weaknesses.
Video-Based Analysis and External Providers
Software: Hudl and SportsCode are the industry standards. SportsCode is notably Mac-exclusive.
External Providers: Teams may pay for 50-page reports from third-party firms to supplement their internal data.
Key Measurement Principles
To ensure data is useful for a coach or athlete, it must meet specific criteria:
Definitions: Analysts must explicitly define what constitutes a specific action (e.g., what exactly is a "shot on target"?) so everyone is on the same page.
Objective vs. Subjective:
Objective: Factual, such as "ball in vs. out" or "shot percentage."
Subjective: Involves judgment calls, such as "quality of a press" or "effectiveness of a tackle."
Consistency (Reliability): If the same event is measured on different days or by different people, the numbers should be identical.
Validity: The analyst must ask: Does measuring this actually help the team's performance?
Applied Case Study: Tennis Analysis
During the workshop, students practiced notational analysis on a professional tennis match (e.g., Alcaraz, Federer, Nadal) using the following metrics:
Service Data
First Serve Percentage:
Aces: Serves the opponent fails to touch.
Double Faults: Failing both serve attempts.
Outcome Data
Winners: Successful shots that the opponent cannot reach.
Errors: Categorized by "Forehand" vs. "Backhand."
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
KPIs must be realistic and researched. For example, a power player may have a KPI to win more than of rallies consisting of three or fewer shots.
Context matters: Success rates vary based on court surface (Grass, Clay, Hardcourt) and opponent ranking.
Questions & Discussion
Q: What jumped out to you as relevant from Aaron's lecture?A: One student noted how much "building" or preparation happens in a single week; Pete clarified that the analyst's job is to handle all the extra data gathering so the coach can focus on the sport.
Q: Why track both the home and away team in a frequency table?A: It provides context. For example, if it is raining, high error counts for the home team might be explained by the weather if the away team also has high error counts.
Q: Is position (possession) important in football?A: It depends on the team's strategy. Some teams play possession-based styles; others use a "punt it and get lucky" approach. The analyst must determine if the metric is valid for their specific team's goals.