This is the second part of a two part series: Data Overload. The first part, “Data Overload: What the next phase and evolution is in technology with all of this data,” was published on March 8 2021. Already interested? Click here to sign up for SportsTrace free.
What the next phase and evolution is in sports with all of this data
Let’s move on from data in technology generally to data in sports specifically. Sure, there is a lot of data GENERALLY, but in sports, we’re seeing a ton of it, too. This goes from fan engagement to sports books through athlete performance development. For the purpose of this post – a subject obviously near and dear to our hearts – we will focus on athlete performance development.
By The Numbers
Spin Rate. Exit Velo. Launch Angle.
If you’ve head anything about hitting/pitching in baseball, those terms are undoubtedly ones you have come across. If you aren’t familiar with baseball, there are terms you HAVE encountered specific to your sport. We’re all starting to get a lot of helpful data in the world of sports. As a personal aside, I believe this data is useful (and, fun to work with). I also believe that it’s difficult to be used directly.
Outcome based data is a great predictor of HOW someone HAS performed in the past. It’s as good an indication that they will do something again since they did it before.
This data overload is the first phase of the process. Get the data FIRST, figure out what we can do with it.
How do we move on from here?
The data we have is good, but if you are a smaller player, not predisposed to power hitting, should you be focusing on launch angle? Of course not. There is a reasonable basis for why these measurements matter, but they need to be applied in the correct situation. Not all data is universally applicable and this goes for any sport.
We need data that:
- Measures HOW these results can be produced and HOW this data can be used
- Illustrates WHY this data is important
- Shows WHO this information is important to (me!) through personalization
- Explains WHAT to do with this information – make it actionable
Not everyone is a data scientist. And, although I heard recently that coaches are starting to ask if they SHOULD BE biomechanists or data scientists (does this put me in the running?), that’s probably not necessary.
How SportsTrace helps
SportsTrace starts with the idea of the athlete as an individual. Sure, we help coaches scale by automating some of the video analysis to pinpoint what to look for in videos, but for athletes we provide:
- Automation: we will process the video you submit securely and privately in the cloud
- Management: Organize videos of games and practices how YOU want and we can show them across devices
- Analysis: SportsTrace shows you where to look – how you are progressing and where there is room for improvement
- Recommendations: This is the next phase – more than data. These are drills, exercises, products that help you get better faster
- Comparisons: You vs. You and You vs. The Pros
In short, SportsTrace is doing things FOR you, not making you do them. Click here to sign up and start using SportsTrace for free.