Performance Profiling

If a 1500 metre runner appeared to lack speed towards the end of a race, an effective coach would observe this and design a training program to address this situation. Similarly, if psychological factors require attention, the intervention must be tailored to specific needs. However, where as speed, or lack of it, can be directly observed, psychological factors are often hidden.

A key problem for coaches seeking to address such issues is how to work out what the problem is when they cannot observe what is going on in their athlete's mind. A direct question does not always provide the full facts since athletes can be reluctant, at least initially, to discuss such things. An approach that is becoming popular in sport is Performance Profiling.

Objectives

Over the past few years, Performance Profiling has become a new tool in the athlete & coach's armoury. Performance Profiling has three major purposes:

To aid in identifying an appropriate intervention
To maximise the athlete's motivation and adherence to the program
To monitor any changes over time

Process

Performance Profiling comprises of four steps:

Step 1 - Coach outlines the Performance Profiling process
Step 2 - Athlete identifies the characteristics of an elite athlete for his/her sport/event
Step 3 - Athlete rates each in terms of level of importance and self assessment
Step 4 - Athlete and Coach analyse the results and agree a way forward

Step 1

The first step is for the coach to introduce to the athlete the idea of Performance Profiling and how it can help to direct training to areas of specific need. This process can be aided by a sense of mutual trust, and it should be made clear that any information gained about the athlete will remain strictly confidential. Coaches should stress that there are no right or wrong answers involved in the process but that honest appraisal will facilitate a more productive outcome. The coach needs to explain that the process will focus on the athlete's current feelings regarding their preparation for competition.

Step 2

The athlete becomes actively involved in this step of the process, and the following question should be directed to the athlete:

What in your opinion are the fundamental qualities or characteristics of an elite athlete in your sport/event?

Spend five to ten minutes listing the qualities or characteristics that the athlete feels are important. If an athlete finds this difficult, the coach can use prompts, but it is for the athlete to decide on what characteristics are chosen. The coach should try to get the athlete to list the key psychological factors, but the same process can be applied to technical skills or physical attributes, such as strength, speed, agility, balance etc. In this step, the athlete should try to identify 15 to 20 characteristics.

Step 3

The next step is for the athlete to rate each of the identified characteristics.

On a scale of zero (not at all important) to 10 (extremely important), the athlete rates the perceived importance of each characteristic for an elite performer in their particular sport/event.
The athlete uses the same zero to 10 scale to rate their current perception of themselves in relation to an ideal state of 10.
A calculation is then carried out to determine the 'Discrepancy' value. The higher discrepancies indicate areas that may need to be addressed through training or other intervention.

Step 4

The table below provides an example of these calculations for part of an athlete's performance profile.

Characteristics identified by the athlete	Athlete's perceived level of importance (API)	Athlete's self assessment (ASA)	Discrepancy (10-ASA) × API
Confidence	10	8	20
Concentration	9	6	36
Control	10	7	30
Commitment	9	8	18
Refocusing after errors	9	5	45
Enjoyment	8	8	16

For this particular athlete refocusing after errors and concentration are key concerns that could be addressed. This can be via intervention strategies such as self-talk or a quick set routine, depending on the exact circumstances and preferences of the athlete.

Reassessment should always relate to the same characteristics identified in the initial profiling process and be conducted every four to eight weeks.

Alternative approach

Coach outlines the Performance Profiling process
The athlete identifies a set of characteristics
The athlete assesses his/her performance against each characteristic (self assessment)
The coach assesses and rates the athlete against each characteristic
The athlete and coach analyse the results and agree a way forward

The coach-athlete relationship is much stronger when goals and targets are shared and agreed in this way.

The figure below illustrates a tennis player's self-assessment (yellow) and the coach's assessment (red) in relation to the athlete's backhand strokes on a scale of 0 (very poor) to 10 (excellent). This shows that the coach and athlete are in general agreement over most of the relevant characteristics but in major disagreement over the backhand volley. In such circumstances, video analysis of the player's performance might be a good way to resolve such differences and produce agreement on how to proceed.

Benefits

Performance Profiling can help coaches develop a better understanding of their athletes by:

Highlighting perceived strengths and weaknesses
Clarifying the athlete's and coach's vision of the key characteristics of elite performance, and highlighting any differences
Highlighting discrepancies between the athlete's and coach's assessment of performance
Providing a means of monitoring progress

Conclusion

Performance Profiling appears to be a tool that is particularly useful for aiding in the design of specific mental, physical and technical training programs. The central involvement of the athlete in the process is a key strength that may boost motivation and promote adherence to any intervention strategies devised. It may also facilitate the coach-athlete relationship by promoting dialogue and addressing any perceived discrepancies. Additionally, the profile can be used as a monitoring device to assess the effectiveness of any interventions and highlight areas of good and poor progress.

Associated Pages

The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page:

Associated Books

The following books provide more information related to this topic:

The Successful Coach, P. Crisfield et al., ISBN 0 947850 16 3
USA Track and Field Coaching Manual, J.L. Rogers, ISBN0 88011 604 8
Strength Training for Coaches, B. Pauletto, ISBN 0 88011 371 5
Mental Skills - An Introduction for Sports Coaches, C. Sellars, ISBN 0 947850 34 1
Advanced Studies in Physical Education and Sport, P Beashel et al., ISBN 0 17 4482345
Physical Education and the Study of Sport, B. Davis et al., ISBN 0 7234 31752
Essentials of Exercise Physiology, W.D. McArdle et al., ISBN 0 683 30507 7
Physical Education and Sport Studies, D. Roscoe et al., ISBN 1 901424 20 0
The World of Sport Examined, P. Beashel et al., ISBN 0 17 438719 9
Advanced PE for Edexcel, F. Galligan et al., ISBN 0 435 50643 9
Examining Physical Education, K. Bizley, ISBN 0 435 50660 9
Sport and PE, K Wesson et al., ISBN 0 340 683821
PE for you, J. Honeybourne, ISBN 0 7487 3277 2