Analysis

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TankEngine
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Analysis

Post by TankEngine »

My assistant coach and I would like to be able to do more for the team during the match. Is there any qualitative/quantitative analysis or other coaching we can do mid-match to help our team out?

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cthewolf
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Re: Analysis

Post by cthewolf »

As a player, I think the best mid match advice would be about minor adjustments. I would look for common mistakes like not conferring, not hearing all of the bonus, or not hearing out teammates.

It's also helpful to hear where team members could maybe be a little more or less aggressive with relation to game situation, own team's strengths, and opponents' strengths. I think it would be a lot easier to notice such problems as an outsider. For example, your history player might always recognize (there's a clear aha or added disappointment moment) the right answer one clue after a neg. Or the other team might be noticeably weak at history, and the player should just wait a little more than normal. Of course, having a good idea of each player's strengths and personality from previous practices and tournaments is essential to giving advice about this.

As a player coach, I would always advocate balanced feedback. This comes mostly after matches, but I think this is hugely important over the course of the tournament. Depending on personality, the player is either focused only on the positives, isn't concerned, or is focused only on the negatives. This is, of course, an exaggeration, but most players tend towards one of the three. Giving a balanced report (encouraging a power here, warning about a pointless neg) there is the best way to go imo.
Christy Jestin
Boston Latin School '20
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UlyssesInvictus
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Re: Analysis

Post by UlyssesInvictus »

Some various things I've seen good coaches do:

- Keep score. The players could do this, but maybe you have the kind of player who would play worse if they were distracted by having to keep score.
- Call timeouts. Again, the player could do this, but a third party (i.e. you) can often better sense ruts/runs on the side of either team, and call a timeout to give a mental reset.
- Record answerlines/subjects. This both helps for future development (you can go over missed answers/clues/subjects later), and can help during a game by winnowing down the pool of what remains to come up. For example, if you know the last two questions are going to be a history and science question, by means of distribution and process of elimination, it can often really help your player's mental prep.
- Just be a reassuring presence. Especially for younger players, a calming outside presence can really help alleviate negative mental cascades. This extends to, as Christy mentioned, giving balanced advice to players and just kind of being a level.

IMO the best thing a coach can do comes after the tournament, in terms of preparation and studying, and the best thing you can really do during a tournament is just take the right notes to get better for next time; but of course, if it's the state championship, and there isn't really a next tournament, then you do what you can.
Raynor Kuang
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AGoodMan
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Re: Analysis

Post by AGoodMan »

A timely timeout can sometimes do wonders. I can think of multiple occasions when my high school coach called a timeout to stop the opposition's momentum and help us win games.
Jon Suh
Wheaton Warrenville South High School '16
Harvard '20
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