Individual skill assessment and analysis is often overlooked in team sports.

There are numerous reasons behind this; higher athlete to coach ratio, more focus on working as a team, setting up plays, dealing with team chemistry, and the list goes on.

But individual analysis should not to be overlooked by team coaching staffs. There are some critical benefits that can come from analyzing individuals on a team and with the right tools and tactics it does not require much additional time or effort.

Why It’s Important

The most obvious benefit from individual analysis is in regards to skill development. Analyzing individual skills will allow the coaching staff to identify areas of strength and weakness in each player. This information can be used as a guide to determine which skill areas need to be addressed or improved upon.

By analyzing individual performance and skills you can establish a baseline in which to track improvement or regression.

It’s also a way to help a coach put together the optimal lineups by pairing athletes with complementary individual skills together.

How you can do it

Technology has made it much easier for coaches to track and analyze individual skills and performances. Smartphones, tablets and the rise of video analysis applications have become prevalent in all areas of sport. Coaches can now instantly record, analyze and compare video of any athlete using low-cost applications like Ubersense. The instant feedback allows the coach to show and correct immediate faults immediately and saves time later of going back through hours of film.

Performance tracking software and hardware has also empowered coaching staffs like never before. Basic Heart rate monitors and more advanced software, like Catapult Sports, allow teams to track movement, exertion and energy levels, giving teams a wealth of data on each player.