Performance Analysis Assessment – Sports Performance

The purpose of this CA is to conduct a mini-performance analysis research project on an aspect of sporting performance, via computer based notational analysis of sport video footage.

Summary:

Identify a technical or tactical based research question* to investigate about a team / performer in a sport of your choice. The research question should aim to analyse technical/tactical performance indicators or aspects for the chosen sport. Such key performance variables should be identified via current performance analysis literature within that sport.

Use NAC Sport (video analysis software) to capture and analyse the relevant data needed to address the performance analysis question and excel for further analysis & to create graphics to show the findings.

In a single written submission, report the study aims, methods and findings (including a 1 slide/poster findings summary report), related to academic knowledge in that sport. (Further detail of sections to be included & supporting files required are provided below).

Performance Analysis Investigation Process:

• Choose a sport.
• Develop a performance analysis research question related to a particular technical or tactical aspect of a sporting performance/s within that sport.
• To capture & analyse data that addresses the research question, complete computer based notational analysis on video footage of the performance
  • To guide notational system design, complete a literature review regarding the performance question.
  • Identify and choose key variables which when analyzed will answer the performance question.
  • Design a decision tree and coding interface that will allow accurate and reliable analysis of variables of interest.
  • Use video footage of the performance/s and the NacSport coding interface to capture sufficient performance data (50-100 data points) to address the performance question.
• Analyse the gathered data, based on this analysis create a summary (1 slide / poster) report presenting the findings of the analysis.
• Compile a performance analysis investigation portfolio detailing your analysis question, process & findings. In the final concluding section, you must discuss the results in the context of current performance analysis literature, and normative performance benchmarks or performance targets.

Performance Analysis Research Question Examples:

• What infringements led to fouls in NBA finals?
• How productive are Irish u20s Rugby team from their turnover?
• How many points in the French open finals are won with backhands?
• During Shamrock Rovers attacking possession phases that are >2 passes what is the involvement of each player and the football action type?
• How do passing sequences differ in terms of duration, number of passes, pass type, pass success, in Camogie All Ireland Final vs Hurling All Ireland Final?

Experts Answer on Above Questions on Sports Management

Sports selected – the sports selected for analysis is Football (Soccer).

Research question

The Research question is “how does passing accuracy influence goal scoring opportunities during a Shamrock Rovers premier division match?
Aim of the study – the main aim of the study is to investigate whether the passing sequences in the attacking third increases the number of goal scoring opportunities. In analysing this, the keep performance indicators considered are notational analysis carried out in NAC support.

Literature review

The key performance indicators with respect to football performance analysis requires any valuation of important variables including final third pass accuracy, number of successful passes, number of unsuccessful passes, number of attacking possessions, goal scoring opportunities possession duration pass type such as short, long, throwball, cross, and ball turnover location.

Methodology

The methodology applied for the given research on analysing football (soccer) performance includes a team of Shamrock Rovers, and the match considered appropriate is one league of Ireland premier division full match of 90 minutes. The software used are NAC sport and Microsoft Excel, and sample size of 80 attacking possessions are utilised. The variables collected are final third entry measured as yes/no, pass type as short, long, cross, through ball, pass success as successful/ unsuccessful, number of passes as count, possession duration as seconds, shot created as yes/no, goal scoring chance as yes/no and turnover location as defensive, middle and final third.

Decision tree

The decision tree starts with attacking possession at the top followed by final third entry and if it is yes, it leads to a pass attempt which can be successful and if so, short created and finally the goal opportunity.

Coding interface (NAC support)

The buttons are short pass, long pass, cross, through ball, successful pass, unsuccessful pass, shot, goal chance, turnover and possession end.

Results (80 possessions)

The results indicate that the successful passes are 61 while the unsuccessful ones are 19, and passing accuracy is 76%. The final third entries is 48 and goal opportunities are 17, while the shots are 22. The successful through balls are 9 and crosses completed are 12.

Findings

The findings from the entire analysis indicates that the highest success rate is with short passes whereas the most of the goal opportunities are created by through balls even though the success rate is low. The attacking possessions lasted for 10-20 seconds and they produced the highest number of shots. The successful final third passing sequences resulted in 17 goal opportunities from 48 entries.

Discussion

The overall analysis leads to discussion that the attacking effectiveness can be significantly improved by accurately passing in the final third. The scoring opportunities are significantly higher for the team that maintain possession through short combinations before attempting penetrative through balls compared to the teams that rely on early crosses or long passes. This finding clearly correlates well with the findings achieved in the previous football research which implies that the passing accuracy and controlled possession are the key predictors of attacking success.

Recommendations

It is therefore recommended to improve the final third passing accuracy to 80% or even higher, and encourage midfielders to attempt more through balls, as they account for the significant number of goal scoring opportunities. It is also recommended to reduce turnovers in the attacking third and perform analysis of individual player passing networks in order to improve attacking combinations.

Want Detailed Answers with References?

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