What is performance analysis?

InteractSport
Aug 28, 2017 · 3 min read

Doug Kors @ Sydney FC — image via SMH

Andrew Walton — Chief Executive Officer at InteractSport

The 2017 Sports Analytics and Sports Technology conference held in Melbourne in August drew a reported audience of more than 1000 delegates to listen to an impressive range of speakers and topics. Sporting entities and companies represented on stage included Microsoft, Facebook, Golden State Warriors, Cricket Australia, Tennis Australia, NBL, Adelaide Crows and plenty more.

For me, one of the most impressive was the story shared by Doug Kors from Sydney FC about the strategy and partnership with Hudl on understanding performance analysis.

WHY

The background of how Doug was uncovered by Sydney FC in rising to the role of Head of Football Analysis was not altogether unusual as the sporting landscape is littered by accidental discoveries. Refreshing though was his ability to blend logic, curiosity, passion, simplicity and humour into a presentation of value with the ability to transition into any environment with an appetite to improve.

To borrow the method from Simon Sinek in condensing the knowledge shared by Doug into Why / How / What — the key points on the strategic aspects of his role:

· We provide insightful information

· We prove our coaches right

HOW

· We show them what they missed

· We prove our coaches wrong

· We do it effectively & efficiently

· Interrogate the quality of data (what is the true representation of the game)

· Look at possession progressions to identify patterns

· Structure

WHAT

· Decision making

· Execution

· To help our coaches & players make informed decisions

· To help our team win

· Provide knowledge to player before conversation or review starts with coaches

· Creates a better learning space

· Builds better relationship, understanding & knowledge from academy to elite

The current end point reference is that Sydney FC have never achieved this level of success or status in all the competitions they are involved with. Assisted through the application of a sensible strategy and ensuring that all the metrics captured around performance are meaningful, explainable and easily referenced with Hudl.

Over a day of fabulous presentations and knowledge gathering where more higher credentialed experts gave us gems like:

  • “who owns the data, nobody really knows”
  • “data will always have a currency”
  • “nothing brings us together like sport”
  • “improve operational efficiency”
  • “maximise commercial opportunities”
  • etc, etc, etc

Thanks to Doug, we walked away happily nourished with quality knowledge that came from the soul with honesty. Kudos.

Andrew Walton — Chief Executive Officer at InteractSport


Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com on August 28, 2017.

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