7  Week One Reading Notes

7.1 Morgulev, Ofer, and Lidor (2018)

7.1.1 Key points:

  • Modern data ‘explosion’ impacts multiple sectors, including sport.

  • Three main data-driven analyses in sports are:

    1. Field-level behaviors of athletes, coaches, and referees.

    2. Decisions made by management and policymakers.

    3. Literature studies using sports data in economics and psychology.

7.1.2 Some questions:

  • How might insights from field/pitch-level behaviours influence training and strategies for athletes and coaches in the future?

  • Given the intersection of sport data with economics and psychology, can you identify broader societal implications might emerge from these analyses, and how can they be applied outside the realm of sport?

7.2 Kohe, Geoffery, and Purdy (2019)

7.2.1 Key points:

  • Surge in sports science and technology has resulted in overwhelming data production in a quest to help athletes.

  • The industry often displays an uncritical desire for more data - often seen as an unquestioned “truth”.

  • Emphasis on personalised data for individual athletes can lead to continuous over-analysis (data fatigue?)

  • This heavy dependence on technology might introduce uncertainties in performance sports and trigger cultural shifts.

7.2.2 Some questions:

  • How might the uncritical collection and emphasis on ever-increasing data impact the psychological and physical well-being of individual athletes?
  • Considering the potential cultural shifts due to technological tendencies, how can sport data analysts ensure we maintain a balanced approach between data-driven decisions and the human element in performance sports?

7.3 Williams, Shaun, and Manley (2016)

7.3.1 Key points:

  • Authors examine the rise of ‘surveillance technologies’ in elite Rugby Union coaching.

  • Popular beliefs suggest coaching is holistic; however, elite practices tend to be more technocratic.

  • Findings highlight potential ulterior motives behind surveillance: emphasising discipline and performance metrics.

  • There’s concern over eroding player trust and autonomy.

  • Overreliance on technology might hinder players’ learning potential?

  • Is technology overshadowing ‘traditional’ coaching values.

7.3.2 Some questions:

  1. How might the increasing technocratic approach to coaching, with a focus on surveillance and metrics, impact the holistic development and well-being of (for example) elite Rugby Union players?

  2. As technology continues to infiltrate sports coaching, what strategies can be implemented to ensure that the core values of trust, autonomy, and holistic learning are not overshadowed or lost?