Analysing the performance of skills is a very important attribute for a coach to be able to improve his or her players, many great coaches are able to identify what the players strengths and weaknesses are quickly, so that the coach is able to maximise the players full potential.
Many coaches at elite levels have a process with the way they identify a player’s strengths and weaknesses, but not many coaches choose to write down what their process is. This means that a coach could change their method every time they are analysing a player’s skill because they do not have a routine and process.
This shows the importance of having a routine behind analysing the performance of skills of a player, a consistent routine will allow you to maximise the players full potential.
Just like kicking in AFL, not every time you will analyse a skill will be the same, but it is important to have a generalised method in regard to how you approach analysing skill.
There are many ways that a coach could Identify player strengths and weaknesses but what is an effective process behind it? After years of education, experience in talent identification and coaching skill with professional footballers Austin Stubbs, (director of coaching and development at AFLHP coaching) uses some of these principles as his approach to analysing a player’s skill performance as his routine.
- Look at the outcome of the skill, was the decision correct?
- Watch the player perform the same skill multiple times.
- Watching different parts of the technique on each attempt of the skill.
- Change the angle you watch the technique from.
Below are a range of different methods you can use.
- Look at the outcome, was the skill performed successfully? Was the decision correct?
- Video the players technique from different angles in slow motion.
- This will allow the coach to identify strengths and weaknesses easier when analysing the performance of a skill.
- Doing this will allow the coach to have footage of when the player first performed the skill as reflection later once the player has improved.
- Write down what the player does really well.
- Ensure to let the player know what their strengths are, so they know that it is not needed to be changed.
- Create a step by step process that focuses on what the player needs to adjust.
- Not what the player does well as they could possibly over think what they are doing, you want to leave their strengths alone, but let them know they are doing well in that area so that they know it is not needed to be changed.
- Write down what needs to be adjusted.
- If there is multiple causes of the problem identify which part needs to be addressed first.
- Make it clear.
- Find a copy of the desired technique and compare it with the current technique.
- This will help coaches understand what needs to be addressed and changed immediately.
- Set short term goals for the player.
- Set short term goals for the player, this will motivate the player so they can see their progress as they are improving.
- Provide an example.
- All players will improve immediately in one part of the skill after receiving feedback, most players are visual and kinaesthetic learners so that means by providing an example on the spot will help them visualise what the desired technique looks like. When you give feedback and provide an example it is very effective because the player is suddenly educated in two different ways, with information and an image.
Its easier to identify errors than strengths. if you educate yourself in skill development coaching, you will gain a broadened knowledge of different skill variations but the way you coach them correctly will allow you to be a very effective coach. The other part of analysing the performance of a skill of a player is coaching the skill itself, so the player can improve executing the skill in different environments once they know their strengths and weaknesses.
