INTRODUCTION TO SPORTISTICS

        This system gives instant statistical information on athletes while a game is in progress. It analyses more than a few traditional skills used primarily for press releases, but for all skills in every phase of the game. It is a system providing immediate feedback on a player's contribution to the total team effort through the use of a microcomputer. The system has been under development by the author since 1967, first by post game analysis using a hand calculator and then a mainframe computer. Doug Beal, the Head Coach for the USA Men's National Volleyball Team contacted the author in 1977 to convert his system for use on a microcomputer to be used at court side for the World University Games in Sofia, Bulgaria. On the way to that event, the team went to the Soviet Union where the computerized system was first used in a match between the USA and Mexico. Following the Soviet tour, the system was used for the USA matches at the World University Games.
        
        The program was refined and taken to the 1978 World Championships in Italy and to the NHK Cup in Japan, and two USA tours with Cuba and Korea. The United States Volleyball Education Foundation funded the Korean tour in 1982 to do a statistical study using the system, as well as a follow-up study in 1983 of the NORCECA Volleyball Championships, and the International Invitational Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament. The three year study culminated at the 1984 Olympics where the system was used to assist both the Men's and Women's USA National Teams win Gold and Silver Medals. At the 1983 events, the computerized statistical system was used as the official statistical system for the entire event covering all matches. The system was used as the official statistical system for the 1985 and 1986 USVBA Junior Olympic National Championships, and the 1985-87 USVBA Open National Championships. It was the official statistical system for the 1987 Pan-American Games, the 1990 Goodwill Games, and the U.S. Olympic Festival-'87, -'94, and -'95.

         The system provides evaluations of players with immediate data at court side on the players' performance, areas of weakness or strength, and whether a player is performing up to the team's potential or not. This is a valuable coaching aid to assist in getting the best performing team on the court. Not only is it a good aid for the coach, but it provides instant statistics for the press. Broadcasters can have the statistics constantly updated on a TV monitor setting in front of them. The press has access to immediate printouts of the statistics at the conclusion of the contest. Also available is a play-by-play report program available that gives the press in narrative form the necessary information needed to assist in writing up press releases regarding the flow of the game, outstanding plays, etc.

         The volleyball statistical system uses the six basic skill areas. It uses a rating scale of 0-4 for evaluating the players. The particular skills and rating system can be adapted as needed by the coach without program modification. Another unique attribute of the SPORTISTICS system is that it is possible to play a game over again and study the individual statistics of each player and the team point by point. This kind of analysis allows the coach to see how the players perform under certain circumstances. The program also has a variety of reports that can be printed on a printer or to a disk file for later printing.

         Click here to read the research abstract explaining how the system was validated through the three year research project sponsored by the USVEF and how it is interpreted.

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