Games Analysis

• Collecting Data to improve performance

Purpose

• To gather information about the physical, mental, tactical and technical requirements of an activity or sport so that training and game performance can be improved.

• Our focus is principally on the physical aspect (physiological fitness requirements); however, all areas have an impact on all the other areas.

• GA is a method of observing, recording and analysing the physiological aspects involved in an activity or sport

• Provides information regarding the physical requirements of a particular sport that can then be used to design an appropriate training program

• It reveals what is required of the players

GAMES ANALYSIS

1. Individual skill analysis

2. Team skill analysis

3. Fitness analysis

4. Decision making analysis

5. Energy systems analysis

Can analyse five areas in particular:

What information do we need?

• When assessing fitness requirements, we are particularly interested in which: – energy systems– fitness components– muscle groups are involved.

Purpose

• The purpose of analysis is to identify patterns in data, recognise relationships, make connections and draw inferences.

• The better the quality of the data and the more skilled the analyst, the more useful the analysis will be to the coach and player(s).

How do we analyse a game?

• A range of data collection methods are available including:

• observation;

• observation with statistical data collection;

• video recording and statistical data collection.

Observation only

• Easy (no equipment needed),

• quick/immediate

• Arguments against using observation only as a method of data collection: No data to take away and analyse, very subjective, totally reliant upon observer’s memory and powers of observation, can’t be checked by another person

Observation with statistics & data

• This sees the ease of observation mixed with the accuracy of statistics and data that can be referred to. This is more accurate than observation alone however preference would be for digital recording of game.

Digital recording & data

• By digitally recording the game to conduct an analysis, more precise information about what has taken place will be obtained. Additionally, the information can be taken away and time spent replaying it to extract all the valuable data.

Skill Analysis - Individual

• Used to determine how often and how effectively a particular player uses particular skills

• Statisticians are required and skills (possessions and disposals) have to be listed

• Can be used to highlight strengths and weaknesses

Skill Analysis - team

• Gathering information about tactical play and style

• Analysis of defensive and offensive strategies (possession patterns)

Decision Making Analysis

• Available options when deciding what to do prior to execution can be responsible for success and failure, these decisions are not normally the result of a lack of skill or fitness

• Establishing team rules can take out some of the decisions to be made

Fitness analysis

• To develop an accurate fitness-training program you must conduct an individual analysis of a competent performer, playing in the specific position in which you are interested, during a competitive game.

• After a detailed fitness analysis you can then: (see next slide)

• Understand the demands of a competitive game, including energy systems and relevant fitness components

• Suggest training methods appropriate to improve specific areas by observing an elite performer you can train to their fitness levels

• Test your fitness in various components (identify strengths and weaknesses so that you can train to your weaknesses and play to your strengths)

Technology

• Each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages; however, with new computer technology, video recording is seen to be the way of the future (at least at the elite level) as this type of data is much more reliable.

• Analysis can take the form of immediate observations that inform decisions on game day, through to detailed computer analysis of data collected over a whole season or more that can inform and guide training and forward planning of factors such as diet; training methods; training cycles – micro and macro; pre-game warm-up; and post-game recovery.

AFL - GPS

GPS

Energy Systems Analysis (Contribution of each energy system)

• This relies on:– Time– Intensity (how busy you are in the activity)– Fitness (how well developed your oxygen

delivery system is)

Several techniques are available to discover the involvement of each of the energy systems:

• Analysing movement patterns (tracking field movements of a player – direct observation or video tape)

high number of short sprints = ATP/PC

efforts intense but longer with little rest = Lactic Acid System

continuous (sub maximal) work, long efforts, few rests = Aerobic

System• Calculating work to rest ratios (W:R) – involves comparing the

amount of time a player is active to the amount of time recovering.

Definitions of work and rest must be first established. The higher the

work : rest ratio the more aerobic the nature of the activity.• Monitoring heart rates. Heart rate monitors are generally worn, with

player calling out their heart rate to the recorder every 30 to 60 seconds.

• Heart Rate Zones: Aerobic work – 65% - 80% MHR Anaerobic

work – greater than 85% MHR Recovery – lower than 70% MHR• Testing blood lactate levels

Additional Movements

• To determine which fitness components need attending to we need to obtain statistics on all the relevant essential physical actions:

• Direction changes (including body position and orientation) = Agility

• Stretches or lunges (actions involving large ranges of motion) = Flexibility

• Contacts (collisions) = Strength or Power• Skill frequency (depends on how fast and how often) = Local

muscular Endurance or Power• Jumps = Power

Data collection

• skill frequency

• movement patterns

• intensity charts

• workrest ratios

• heart rate.

Movement Patterns

Speed - Accelerometry

Ironman data (heart rate)

Acceleration data

Heart rate and distance data

• Once you analyse a game the you can plan and write a training program, pre test the athlete, and ultimately train for the specific requirements that you have ascertained. Finally you can post test the athlete after a specified period of training to gauge if any improvements have been achieved.