So let’s test your awareness.  Watch this video and let us know how you get on.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s said that an average coach will see around 55% of what actually happens in the game, and that same average coach will remember 35% of the events one day after the game.  We’d say that was pretty good.  Often coaches aren’t even quite sure what the score is during a game.   We’ve all been there right?   So looking back over a season how do we really do?  It’s pretty  clear, if we dont record the game stats, the probability is that we won’t remember them, and we sure will not be able to share them.   As coaches we just dont have the capacity to accurately ‘remember the data’. We’re human, after all.

What’s a pass, a shot on goal or a turnover?   If you are recording passes, are you going to try to record every one or are you only recording passes that ‘move the play forward’, or ‘passes that are made under no pressure from the opposition’.  It’s our call – but make sure you discuss them and define them, and make sure they are meaningful to your age group.   If you are gathering stats it is vital that you define what is meant by each term you are using.   This allows coaches and players to understand exactly what you mean if you find an individual had six incomplete passes.  Presenting clear cut definitions also helps the person collecting stats to be more objective and systematic – it will make their task easy.  And, it will provide your team with more consistent and meaningful data.

What do you think are the problems with defining the stats you are going to collect?  Any stories?

Feedback is the food of champions. But it can also choke up the toughest of players.   Players appreciate information on their performance, but they will only be receptive to it if they feel it is balanced and constructive – and too much emphasis on the negative is a sure way to close the ears.   Do not fall into the trap of collecting only negative data about your players.  Giving your players access to their stats on Statzpack is a way to empower your players and make them feel involved – but make sure the data is relevant and your players are mature enough to take look.   Get in the habit of choosing positives to start your stats feedback and always end on a constructive note.

When giving feedback to your team make sure they can digest it and make sure you do it at the right time.   During game intervals players can only take in so much information in. And don’t use ‘numbers’ unless you really have to.  Use language you and they understand. Focus on the outcome you want.  Use the data to drive your message, don’t let it be your message.  For example let’s say you have identified that 82% of free kicks in a game so far have been conceded by your team, and 74% of those have been in your half, mostly committed by a Sarah in left midfield.  Convey the message clearly, but focus on what the possible cause may be and what action you want to see.  “We’re conceding too many free kicks in our half, this is causing us too much trouble on our left flank, it created one of their goals, what we need to do is be less reckless in our tackling and cover for each other.”   

Sharing more info and use of numbers are likely to have more of an impact at training sessions when you have more time to communicate.  Combine the data with real language.  Telling Sarah that she conceded 56% of all our free-kicks will have a limited impact if you don’t combine that with some discussion on what the probable causes might be, and what your desired outcomes are for her and the team.  

 Never use data to beat up on a player.  Harping on Jonny because he had 10 unsuccessful passes and only one good pass all match will accomplish nothing in the long run.  Statistics are a tool with which to improve players, they are not the end all be all.

A quick google search for ’soccer statistics’ pulls up an interesting article in the New York Times from 2008.  With quite an impressive comment section as well.

According to the by-line “Carl Bialik examines the way numbers are used, and abused.”  The article is somewhat well written, explaining how teams are using much more advanced statistical tracking programs such as Pro-Zone, and what the right applications are for those programs.  Also, chalking up pure luck to the success of many soccer teams (which is completely false in my opinion.)

The benchmark for sports statistics is Sabremetrics, and the book Moneyball, written by Michael Lewis.  In it, Lewis describes the rise of the Oakland A’s baseball team through the use of complex statistical analysis to best predict the outcome of a match.

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is a book by Michael M. Lewis, released in 2003, about the general manager of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics, Billy Beane, and his rather unconventional approach to running that organization. The central premise of Moneyball is that the collected wisdom of baseball insiders (including players, managers, coaches, scouts, and the front office) over the past century is subjective and often flawed. Statistics like 60 yard dash times, RBIs, and batting average that are typically used to gauge players are relics of a 19th-century view of the game and the statistics that were available at the time - ArmChairGM

The divide between soccer and baseball is the fluidity of the game.  Baseball can be determined by a few variables (pitcher, batter, count for instance) whereas in soccer, there are hundreds of variables which come into play each time a statistic is kept.

Critics state, “Statistics cannot accurately predict the score of a game, because numbers alone cannot predict a player’s performance.”

Exactly, we all know that.  Anyone who thinks stats can predict the outcome alone is foolish.  Soccer is a game that is often decided by a few events which result in a goal or a defensive lapse conceding a goal to your opponent.

If you know your right back is not able to string passes out of the backfield to the midfielders, then maybe it is time for a switch.  Most teams do not keep track of stats, so they don’t know the time to replace a player, and when to keep him in.

The important idea to remember is a combination of statistics and a coaches intuition can greatly improve your chance at winning, or fielding the most successful team out of your given options.

Today we have a guest post from Denise Martin of Enhance Sports Analysis.

They say that women are better multi-taskers than men but when it comes to recording stats during a game it’s vital to cut down the number of tasks regardless of gender!  Many people who start to use Statzpack for the first time tell us, ‘I really found it hard to record the stats and watch the game’.  Well that’s probably because you can’t do both at the same time.  You’ll certainly find it hard to cheer on your team and record meaningful accurate stats.  Even more difficult if you are actually coaching or one of the team is your child J.   It’s important to create for yourself an ‘observation environment’ away from vocal crowds or from your buddies chatting about the night before.  Ideally you should have one person with you who is tuned in the game and will help you with game info during the match.  Arrive early so you do not get stuck sitting in a row where you have to let people in and out past you or in a place where your view can be obstructed. And if needed where a hat that says ‘Do not disturb’ on the front.  Or even as one user from Vancouver, Canada told us  ‘It’s easy, I just sit up on the bench, away from the guys, plug in my earphones, kick into Bruce Springsteen, watch the game, and record the stats.’  Good idea, just watch the battery level on the iPod touch!  denise@statzpack.com

What do you get if you combine a 17 year old Man United fan and our new App, ManU Tracker.  Answer = a lot. So here are the stats that this user – David – recorded using our new App.

Soccer coach? Want to get game stats? Try out iSoccerStatz. Available on iTunes now.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Today we have another guest post from Denise Martin. In my last post I talked about defining your stats, this time I’m talking briefly about setting that process out.  Agreeing the stats should be discussed amongst the coaches working with the team, and even you are the only coach – take some advice, talk to the players or another coach.  It’s really important that the set of stats are talked about and agreed upon within the team.  You really want to avoid having a discussion about them each week.  

And.. PRACTICE.  Don’t forget to try out ‘your set’ in a practice or challenge game. Review them.  DISCUSS.  Are they useful? Can we do this each game?   Will they be useful if we use the same set each game, or shall we use a different set for each game? The one thing that is for sure, for most grades you will likely be better to trial, revise, discuss and set out a plan.   Unless I’m wrong? What are your experiences?

What’s with the two soccer Apps?  Why have two?  What do they do?  How do they differ?  At the NSCAA convention we were asked about this by some of the people we met.   Yes, it is probably time explained it.

The story with StatzSoccer.   We initially set off to build an iTunes App that could be used in conjunction with our subscription service – Statzpack – so we built the StatzSoccer App.   This App can only be used by subscribers to our web based team admin and analysis service – see more about the service here.  Anyone can download it but it needs a valid log into enable its use (hence its low star rating on iTunes produce by countless people downloading it and then realizing they cant use it and deleting and hitting the ‘one star rating’ Doh!) . This App serves up game and team data to the user when you log in which it takes from information a user has added on the web. Likewise when connected to a network, the App will send recorded game data to the web.

iSoccerStatz:  son of Statzsoccer.   After the initial success of the Statzpack Soccer service it dawned on us.. ‘ ummm  what if we can take this App and make it ’standalone’ with no need for users to subscribe to the online service?’.  For people who want to follow one team. After all, there has to be some people who want an App to record – and we are glad to see there are many.  Coaches, footy fans, soccer moms, players and the odd sports stat nut.  We salute you!

Whats in common? They both record the same data in the same way;  they both work on the iPod touch or iPhone; they both provide the same half and full time stats summary.

Whats different? On the iSoccerStatz App you can select jersey and shorts colours; you get to add a team name; you can add a single roster/squad of players; with StatzSoccer and the web bsased service you get to add many teams and players;  but you can upload a basic stats summary up to the web to share with your team or friends.

Are we going to merge two the Apps into one?  Well probably just not yet, but we have put it on our roadmap to take a closer look at.

You can check out the Apps out at itunes.



Statzpack are glad to announce the appointment of Ryan Knapp as VP Business Development, taking on responsibility for sales and partnerships.

Ryan is a successful sports business professional and entrepreneur as well as a passionate advocate for the growth of soccer in the United States, especially in his hometown of Buffalo, NY.  He also is a strong advocate in the power of using soccer for social change.

Ryan’s recent focus has been on the interaction of sports and social media, spurred on by his current position as Co-Owner of FC Buffalo, a National Premier Soccer League club.   Previously Ryan founded the popular soccer blog Center Holds It, and organized the move of CHI to BigSoccer, the biggest soccer website in the United States.  He also was President/GM of Queen City Football Club and negotiated the sale of the NPSL.  Ryan is also Director of Public Relations for the National Premier Soccer League.    You can contact Ryan at +17169981711 or by email at ryan@statzpack.com.