Information Integration in 2020
As coaching community I think that the evolution of coaching hitting has gone over a major revolution over the past 24 months. Overall I think it is a good thing. Coaching hitting is hard, and using both science, and research to influence our coaching is a major step in the right direction.
I see 2020 as a time to move through the technology and data though toward an area of Integration of this Information. I think that often times there is a point where coaches can become obsessed with a particular area. I think in the past it has always been mechanics, the use of video had a big influence on this, and I think the implementation of several new devices has shifted our obsession to data and technology. This shift has been a step in the right direction just as the shift toward video helped coaches and player over the past few decades. Adding video to a coaches toolbox has made many more diverse in what they can do to help players.
Video analysis not going to be going away in 2020 and beyond (though I think that a more detailed version with multiple camera angles is coming). Nor do I think that it is something that will go out of vague. My idea with this post is that we as coaches need to move toward integrating this data and technology into our coaching toolbox. Essentially this means that we are coaching through these new pieces of information. The main idea is that once you have found an “issue” with a player or even a “strength” how do you help them to grow from that point?
How we apply this information to our teams, and players will ultimately be the deciding factor between adding value (+ 1) and being neutral(+ 0). The essential question that we need to be able to answer is “How can I help the player based off of this information?” in the past 99% of the information came from the coaches eyes or video. We now have several new inputs of information that we need to consider. How to do we not only integrate these new pieces of data into our new model. But how do we present, teach, and consult based upon the information that we are receiving.
Information integration and application is the name of the game in 2020. How it is applied in both the player development side of the game and how coaches use it to teach will be the deciding factor of how valuable this information is to us as coaches. Applying this information is going to be a systematic process that coaches need to take seriously.
As we enter this new space in coaching it isn’t going to be good enough to just pop in to the cage with a haphazard plan of attack. This is the main idea behind the idea of information integration you will need to blend several complex and competing inputs. This is not a simple task. It is a complex detail oriented process that will only come after much thought. Ultimately the information can tell us exactly what is going on but if we are not able to apply it in an effective manner then we are just as good as someone without the information in the first place.
