When coaches use data or statistics they can help improve the performance of athletes in individual and team sports.
One of the top “stats” people in volleyball is Joe Trinsey, technical coordinator for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team. In that capacity, Trinsey is responsible for match video analysis and statistics for the program. His work is so important it is incorporated into the process for practices and match play.
The following is a summary of Trinsey’s thoughts about stats, compiled from various presentations and discussions.
The Process
The process of taking stats is a combination of three circular activities.
• You decide what you want to analyze and you gather data.
• You evaluate the results.
• You make a plan how you are going to apply the data
And the process repeats itself.
The process sounds simple!
Plans for Change
It is critical to have consistency in “taking stats”. For example there must be a common definition for identifying an unforced error or determining what an out-of-system pass is. The product of inconsistent data is garbage-in and garbage-out.
Once consistency is established, the subsequent steps are to evaluate the data and apply it in the coaching process. It doesn’t help an athlete know her percentage of good serves, if that information isn’t used to help the athlete improve her serve.
It is easier to talk about making change than it is to actually make the changes.
The following questions will lead to meaningful change:
• What are all the possible changes that we could make?
• How much do we want to adjust?
• Are the athletes capable of making the adjustment?
• Do we think the athletes will do what is necessary to make the changes?
• What do we need to do to make changes stick?
• How will we measure the change to see is progress is being made and if the changes stick?
Words of Wisdom
The following words of wisdom are useful when implementing change.
• Never attempt tactically what a team or athlete cannot perform technically.
• Greater complexity requires more training and coaches with a better knowledge base who can teach those skills. For example, a volleyball team that wants to run a quick attack, must have coaches who can teach back row players to pass “in-system” passes, setters who can set “one” sets, and hitters who can hit quick sets. In addition, the coaches must be able to teach the tactical strengths and weaknesses of quick attacks.
• When trying to affect change, coaches should challenge their players. If they are learning new skills the coaches should do drills where they have at least a 2:1 success failure ratio. If they are performing below that level then the drill should be switched to an “easier” drill. Likewise if they have reached that level or they have mastered a, the coaches should challenge them with “more difficult” drills.
The following are final thoughts about statistics from Trinsey and others:
• Stats are an observation with a memory, They are a snapshot of a player or team’s performance at a given point in time with a defined set of circumstances.
• Stats may not provide answers, but they will allow a coach or athlete to ask better questions.
• Stats are used most effectively when they are incorporated with qualitative data or intuition.
• Stats can help a player or team if they are used to measure progress, growth, or change.