How Video Analysis Improves Youth Sports Coaching

Tryouts end, and you are reviewing player data to make team placement decisions. After reviewing player scores, you are left with uncertainty and confusion: about a dozen athletes show significant score gaps within the same skill over the two days of tryouts.

No supporting feedback is provided to help you understand why the score drastically increased/decreased between Day 1 and Day 2 of tryouts. Therefore, you are left making drafting decisions based on gut feeling, not accuracy.

That’s where video analysis comes in.  With an athlete evaluation tool like SkillShark, coaches and evaluators can film an athlete performing a skill (and it automatically attaches to that corresponding score). When it comes time to draft teams, coaches have video evidence to support the “why” behind a potential discrepancy in scores while also being able to provide comprehensive feedback to athletes post-tryouts.

Let’s explore how video analysis elevates any type of evaluation in youth sports, from tryouts to clinics to camps.

1. Objective Decision Making

Scoring athletes on a scale of 1-10 and providing comments are both significant measures to assess your athletes’ ability. However, they are both backed by subjectivity. What constitutes a “10” to one coach might be seen as an “8” for another coach. Not to mention, comments add another level of subjectivity as they reflect on an evaluator’s personal judgment rather than concrete data.

Aside from measuring athletes on objective metrics (i.e., throw distance, timed sprints, etc..), video analysis adds an extra layer of unbiased & neutral data to your evaluations.

Using SkillShark’s athlete evaluation software, let’s discuss how video analysis works:

• Score athletes on any mobile device and add supporting comments.

• Take a video- Under any metric, coaches (or evaluators) can film an athlete performing that skill. Each video will be safely stored in SkillShark for later analysis.

• I.e., An athlete is scored a 5 on bunting mechanics and the evaluator comments that they can improve their grip & bat position. A video is included to illustrate this feedback and provide added clarity.

• When making drafting (or positional adjustments), coaches can review attached videos to ensure scores were assigned fairly and reflect a player’s ability.
  

 Improved athlete feedback

1. Self-correction- Oftentimes, there is a discrepancy between an athlete’s perception and their actual performance I.e., An athlete might think they are dribbling well, but video analysis shows that they are struggling to control the ball & change directions quickly. While a coach could provide constructive feedback in the form of a comment, video analysis improves the learning process. Athletes can spot their mistakes and rewatch the clip anytime, helping them bridge the gap between perception and performance.

2. Slow motion analysis- Video breaks down & analyzes each movement of a skill second-by-second. If we look at dribbling in soccer, a video shows an athlete:

• How their foot contacts the ball: are they using the inside/outside of their foot properly?

• How the ball reacts to each touch: does it remain close or roll far away?

• How an athlete’s body is positioned while dribbling- is their body low & balanced or are they leaning too far forward/backward?

When an athlete asks, “Why did I score so low in dribbling?” video analysis aligns feedback with a score. Athletes (and parents) will often be able to see the exact moment that contributed to their score.

3. Reduced Bias

Picture this: An athlete is being scored on their edgework at hockey tryouts. On Day #1 of tryouts, an evaluator gives that athlete a 7. On Day #2 of tryouts, that same evaluator gives that athlete a 4. When it comes time to make drafting decisions, the head coach and assistant coach are puzzled by the stark drop in score. As no comments or supporting video evidence were provided, they are left questioning, “Was this decision influenced by bias or time pressure, or are these scores actually accurate?”

With video analysis, coaches can look back to see why that athlete was assigned that specific score. Was it due to choppy strides? Trouble with transitions? Inefficient weight transfer? Whatever the reason(s) may be, video analysis connects the score to clear, objective evidence.

Wrapping Up

Upcoming tryouts, camps, or clinics? While scores and comments are a solid foundation, adding video analysis ensures athletes are evaluated thoroughly and accurately. When it comes time to draft teams, make tactical decisions, or provide athlete feedback, video helps to answer the “why” behind almost every question.

Interested in an athlete evaluation software that has it all? SkillShark is an all-in-one tool helping coaches run easy, stress-free evaluations in less time (as opposed to the old-school pen & paper method). Customize your template, score players & add video on any mobile device, and review this data instantly after evaluations to make drafting/tactical decisions.