An Introduction to Performance Analysis of Sport

Performance analysis has become an essential tool for coaches, athletes, sports organisations and academic researchers. Collecting and interpreting performance data enables coaches to improve their training programmes, athletes to make better tactical decisions, sports organisations to manage teams more effectively and researchers to develop a better understanding of sports performance. This fully revised new edition is an essential introduction to the fundamental principles of performance analysis of sport and how to develop and operate performance analysis systems.

Containing worked examples from real sporting events as well as new content examining innovations in determining what to analyse, advances in feedback technology, performance profiles, principles for delivering feedback and telestration within video sequences, An Introduction to Performance Analysis of Sport reviews the different types of data and information that performance analysis can generate and explains how to test for reliability.

This cutting-edge book presents a step-by-step guide to developing both manual and computerised analysis systems and writing up and presenting findings from performance analysis programmes. Representing the most up-to-date, concise and engaging introduction to sports performance analysis, this book is an ideal course text for all introductory performance analysis courses, as well as an invaluable primer for coaches and practitioners in sport.

Adam Cullinane is Senior Lecturer in sport performance analysis at Cardiff Metropolitan University and Programme Director of the BSc Sport Performance at the university. He has 12 years’ experience in the design and delivery of learning and teaching material within the area of performance analysis. He actively supports students undertaken practical work-based learning. He also contributed heavily to the enterprise initiatives of the Centre for Performance Analysis, where he has provided a range of consultancy services to professional sports teams and NGBs.

Gemma Davies is a Senior Lecturer in sport performance analysis at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She has coupled her academic career with practising as a performance analyst for an NGB, supporting teams at major competitions. This allows her to support students with current applications of analysis from the field. She has experience in leading performance analysis modules and developing learning and teaching material, where she has aligned professional and academic qualifications to enhance a student’s portfolio.

Peter O’Donoghue is a professor in sports science at Reykjavik University and general editor of the International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport. He has written, co-authored and edited several books on sports performance analysis and is the editor of the Routledge Studies in Sports Performance Analysis series. He has more than 100 peer-reviewed journal publications and has delivered keynote presentations at several world congresses of performance analysis in sport and the world congress of science and racket sports.