ABSTRACT
Before discussing the work and research done in the field of notational analysis, including both manual and computerized systems, it is necessary to explore methods of applying analysis to sport in general. As stated in previous chapters, the very essence of coaching athletes is to instigate an observable change in behaviour. Methods of analysis used to measure these changes form the central focus of the remaining sections of this chapter. Objective performance measures should serve as the basis for future planning in any coaching process. While it is clear that both the quantification of performance and the assessment of qualitative aspects of performance are required, it would seem from the current research in these fields, that the former has been largely ignored, and the latter has many inherent weaknesses. This chapter therefore focuses on measures of performance
that can be collected in order to analyse quantitatively the performance of an athletic event. First, analysis systems will be discussed with a view to applying them generally to either team sports or individual sports. In later chapters, these systems are then extended into data recording systems. Current research work, both pure and applied, is reviewed and assessed. Finally, the recent extension of these systems by the development of fast and inexpensive microcomputers, will form the nucleus of the final sections of the book.
