Peter O'Donoghue

EFFECTIVE SPEED AND AGILITY CONDITIONING METHODOLOGY FOR RANDOM INTERMITTENT DYNAMIC TYPE SPORTS

Different coaching methods are often used to improve performance. This study compared the effectiveness of 2 methodologies for speed and agility conditioning for random, intermittent, and dynamic activity sports (e.g., soccer, tennis, hockey, basketball, rugby, and netball) and the necessity for specialized coaching equipment. Two groups were delivered either a programmed method (PC) or a random method (RC) of conditioning with a third group receiving no conditioning (NC). PC participants used the speed, agility, quickness (SAQ) conditioning method, and RC participants played supervised small-sided soccer games. PC was also subdivided into 2 groups where participants either used specialized SAQ equipment or no equipment. A total of 46 (25 males and 21 females) untrained participants received (mean ± SD) 12.2 ± 2.1 hours of physical conditioning over 6 weeks between a battery of speed and agility parameter field tests. Two-way analysis of variance results indicated that both conditioning groups showed a significant decrease in body mass and body mass index, although PC achieved significantly greater improvements on acceleration, deceleration, leg power, dynamic balance, and the overall summation of % increases when compared to RC and NC (p ≤ 0.05). PC in the form of SAQ exercises appears to be a superior method for improving speed and agility parameters; however, this study found that specialized SAQ equipment was not a requirement to observe significant improvements. Further research is required to establish whether these benefits transfer to sport-specific tasks as well as to the underlying mechanisms resulting in improved performance.

The 'Bloomfield Movement Classification': Motion Analysis of Individual Players in Dynamic Movement Sports

It is critical to employ sound scientific principles of physical conditioning and coaching in order to enhance sports performance. One of the most critical of these principles is the rule of specificity. To this end the specific requirements of the performance must be investigated to elicit a high degree of transfer from competition into a training regime which optimises performance in competition. One useful method of investigating physical requirements of sport is time-motion analysis where various modes of motion are subjectively or objectively chosen and timed throughout the performance. To date, fewer than 8 modes of motion have often been chosen in time-motion investigations, however it is arguable that this does not provide a high enough degree of specificity to detail the physical demands of a sport. In this paper, we outline a new approach to timemotion analysis through a method involving 14 modes of timed-motion, 3 ‘other’ non-timed movements, 14 directions, 4 intensities, 5 turning categories and 7 ‘On the Ball’ activity classifications known as the ‘Bloomfield Movement Classification’ (BMC). The BMC is performed through computerised video-analysis and is highly specific, accurate and reliable. The details of the method are explained within this paper.

Reliability of the Bloomfield Movement Classification

The Bloomfield Movement Classification (BMC) (Bloomfield et al., 2004) is a detailed classification of movement used to analyse speed agility quickness demands of different sports. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate the inter-operator reliability of the BMC for the analysis of soccer. Two independent observers applied the BMC to a single subject’s purposeful movement (5 mins 45s within 15 minutes of Sky’s PlayerCam coverage of the player). This took between 4 and 6 hours for each observer to enter. There was a good strength of inter-observer agreement for movement type (κ = 0.7277), direction of movement (κ = 0.6968), intensity of movement (κ = 0.7062) and games related activity (κ = 0.7891) with a moderate strength of agreement being achieved for turning (κ = 0.5639). It is recommended that when the BMC to analyse movement patterns in any sport, it is essential to establish the level of reliability of the method when being used by the observers involved in the research.

The importance of service in Grand Slam singles tennis

It is established that the serving player wins more points in elite tennis than the receiving player. However, it is not certain whether the advantage of serve relates to the number of aces and serve winners that are played, or if the server’s advantage persists as rallies go to 3 or more shots. Data from 214 serving performances of at least 36 points were used from Grand Slam singles tennis matches played in 2007. In men’s singles, the advantage of serve still existed in points of 3 to 4 shots on first serve but not on second serve. On second serve, men lost the advantage of serve once the rally reached a third shot. By contrast in women’s singles, the advantage of serve was lost after the first 2 shots of the rally when the first serve was in and there was no significant serve advantage when a second serve was required. The first serve in men’s singles tennis at Grand Slam tournaments gives the server such an advantage that the 62.4% of points of 3 to 4 shots that are won is significantly greater than the 49.7% of points won if the rally lasts for 5 or more shots.

Break points in Grand Slam men’s singles tennis

The current investigation was composed of two related studies. The aim of the first study was to compare the proportion of break points and non-break points won by players receiving serve in matches of the 2011 US Open men’s singles tournament. Match statistics were recorded from the official tournament website for the 92 matches where both players had at least 5 break points. Wilcoxon signed ranks tests revealed that winning players won a significantly greater proportion of break points than non-break points (p = 0.004) while losing players won a similar proportion of break points to non-break points (p = 0.994). The aim of the second study was to compare the proportion of break points and non-break points won by the World’s top 4 tennis players. There were 27 to 39 singles matches for each of these players within Grand Slam tournaments between 2008 and 2011 where the players and their opponents had at least 5 break points each. A series of 95% confidence intervals of the mean revealed different scoreline effects for these players. The findings of these two studies challenge the assumption of stationarity used in models of winning games of tennis.

A reliability study of a real-time and lapsed-time application for rugby union

This paper details the reliability study for a computerised lapsed and real-time application for rugby union. The lapsed-time application was written in order to capture match details post event and the real-time application was developed to capture match detail while the match was in progress. The reliability test was conducted using percentage error, which was deemed the most appropriate for this data. For the purpose of the current investigation, a percentage error of under 5% was deemed to be acceptable Three tests were undertaken by the same operator (intra-observer) and the results were presented and discussed. The system was found to be reliable with both systems, but there were some performance indicators that had a percentage error of more than 5%. It was suggested that the majority of high percentage errors stemmed from poor match coverage or poor communication and ambiguity from the referee. Finally, it was noted that in any form of notation there is a trade off between the time taken to notate and the reliability of the captured data. The developed system was shown to be reliable and it would be possible to conclude, that as the percentage differences were so low, the system was reliable.

Statistical methods in performance analysis: an example from international soccer

There are previous studies in performance analysis that have concluded significant effects by using a large number of events from a small number of matches. The statistical tests applied in such studies are inappropriate for non-independent data and significant results might not be achieved if performance indicators from whole performances were used. This paper illustrates the extent of the problem using an example where significant results are achieved using individual events from a sample of 9 matches. When the unit of analysis was a match rather than an event, no significant effects were found. Therefore, generalisations cannot be made from small numbers of matches where significance has been concluded based on inappropriate use of statistical procedures. It is recommended that performance analysis investigations use whole performances as units of analysis.

Path changes and injury risk in English FA Premier League soccer

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine relationships between path changes performed by English FA Premier League soccer players, anthropometric variables and injuries reported. The study involved 25 players for whom typical path change performances were derived from at least six 90 minute matches. The players performed 39.9+13.2 sharp path changes to the side of the non-dominant leg which was significantly greater than the 35.4+12.7 sharp path changes made to the side of the dominant leg (p < .001). There was a negative association between height and the number of each type of path change (r < -.373) as well as a negative association between body mass and the number of each type of path change (r < -.287). There were no significant differences between the 10 players who missed at least one match through injury during the 2007-08 season and the 15 who did not for the frequency of any type of path change. Therefore, understanding the frequency of path changes alone is not sufficient to assess injury risk and it may also be necessary to examine the technique used when making path changes.

The effect of rule changes in World Series Netball: a simulation study

World Series Netball is played under different rules than standard netball. The current investigation used a simulation package to analyse the effect of two of these rule changes in isolation and when applied together. Four versions of the simulator were applied to determine match outcomes under the following conditions: • 60 minute match and alternating centre passes • 24 minute match and alternating centre passes • 60 minute match and centre passes taken by the conceding team • 24 minute match and centre passes taken by the conceding team. The superior team within a match was the team expected to convert more of its possessions into goals. The simulators showed that the superior team won 83.8% of standard netball matches. Reducing the match time to 24 minutes had a greater impact than giving the centre pass to the team that conceded the previous goal (75.5% v 83.3% of matches won by the superior team). When both rule changes were applied, the superior team won 74.6% of matches with a noticeable increase in the number of draws to 6.4% compared to 2.2% in standard netball. This study shows that simulation has a role in the development of rules in sport.

Relative age effect on elite tennis strategy for players born before and after 1st January 1985

Relative age influences participation in professional tennis. The purpose of the current investigation was to compare the %net points played between players born in the first 6 months of the calendar year (H1 players) and players born in the second 6 months (H2 players). There were 116 players included in the current investigation because net statistics were provided for at least 6 of their matches in the 2011 to 2013 US Opens and the 2012 to 2014 Australian Opens. Players were also classified by generation; born before 1st January 1985 or after due to the introduction of surface grading in 2002. The %net points for male players was significantly influenced by generation (p = 0.041) and the interaction of generation and half year of birth (p = 0.040). The 17 H1 male players born in 1985 or later played 12.1±2.5% net points compared with 10.4±2.8% for the 16 H2 male players born in 1985 or later. The H1 players may have developed a greater tendency to go to the net as junior players with a relative age advantage. These players have continued to play more net points as seniors even though they no longer have a relative age advantage.