What You’ll Learn:
- Many Coaches still believe video analysis is the end-all be-all of coaching in the digital age. Trust me, it’s not.
- The 4 most common misconceptions surrounding video analysis: overemphasizing the importance of video, underemphasizing the importance of your coaching relationships, overcomplicating feedback, and screwing up communication.
As you know, CoachNow is an industry leader when it comes to video analysis.
But that doesn’t matter.
Because most coaches have a ton of misconceptions about the utility of video analysis.
Time and time again, I see coaches thinking video analysis is all they need to do to be successful.
There is a painfully common underlying belief that simply offering technical video feedback makes your offer better, and you a more desirable coach.
But here’s a harsh truth: If you aren’t a great coach in other areas, video analysis isn’t gonna save you.
It can’t be a crutch. It's not a replacement for old fashioned coaching.
It’s important, but only in how it complements the more complete package that is your coaching offer.
In the last 10+ years working exclusively in the sports tech industry.. So today I want to share the top 4 video analysis misconceptions I want you to be aware of.
Let’s get to it.
1. Overemphasizing the Importance of Video
Way too many coaches believe video analysis is the end-all and be-all of coaching.
Sure, it’s an easy thing to highlight in marketing…. But it’s too tempting to myopically focus on video analysis and not nearly enough on how that analysis is beneficial to the athlete’s development.
And there are many other forms of “analysis” that achieve this same goal.
Before I launched CoachNow, most people had considered video analysis to require… well.. Video.
But, when designing this platform, I’ve always been committed to incorporating a myriad of media formats to enhance your analysis.
This includes voice overs, still image comparisons, PDFs, Spreadsheets, etc. As far as I know, CoachNow is one of the only platforms with the ability to turn images into “video analysis”, enabling you to repurpose photos for useful comparisons.
The most successful coaches I’ve seen take an integrated approach, using all the technology at their disposal to provide a full picture of the athletes progress and goals… While also being highly time efficient.
Also, remember to not JUST focus on the technical stuff in the videos you shoot.
Be sure to spend time and attention incorporating your athlete’s WHY - if you don’t focus on strategy, mental, and emotional growth, you're leaving a lot on the table
2. Underemphasizing the Importance of the Coaching Relationship
Video analysis is only useful if it enables you to create a shared understanding with your athletes.
I’ll say that again…
Video analysis is only useful if it enables you to create a shared understanding with your athletes.
By providing a neutral, third-person perspective on the athlete, video is one of the best ways to ensure information is retained and miscommunications are corrected in a format that’s easy to reference.
BUT REMEMBER - Your job is to support another HUMAN BEING in their goals.
Your sessions shouldn’t just be a series of technical drills. They should nurture the relationship with your athletes.
Getting bogged down in analysis will detract from this vitally important “human” element of coaching.
This can’t be overemphasized, but is often forgotten…
Nurturing this shared understanding and vulnerability teaches your athletes to analyze their own behavior and take your feedback into account.
Dont miss the forest for the trees here. You should see your athletes as human first and a client second. Doing so is a win-win.
3. Overcomplicating Your Feedback
I constantly see coaches go overboard with the video overlay features in the CoachNow app.
Let me cut to the chase, simplifying your feedback will save you time, make your life easier, and help your athletes progress faster. STOP getting bogged down in the dreaded video analysis rabbit hole – it doesn't serve either party, so avoid it at all costs!
It’s imperative that you make your videos simple, direct, and digestible. Anything more and you’ll only confuse your athletes – they won't watch your videos the way through and they DEFINITELY won't re-watch them when it matters.
I’ve talked about this many times, so no point in repeating myself here. For more on this topic, check out our recent blog post: The 3 Biggest Mistakes of Video Analysis.
4. Screwing Up Communication Around Video Analysis
I still see coaches using different communication channels, apps and software for different needs in their business.
It drives me crazy.
If you’re using a tool that ONLY has a video analysis, you’re probably emailing somebody a video, texting them the feedback, uploading your analysis to Dropbox, etc.
This disconnect in communications is doing WAY more harm to your mental health (and the health of your business) than you likely realize.
PLEASE go all-in with one channel and train your athletes to only expect communication, feedback and coaching there.
I know I make this point all the time but TRUST ME. Once you make this change, you’ll wish you did it sooner!
Again, not gonna repeat myself since I know your time is valuable…. More on this can be found all over our blog and Podcast: e.g. Here, here, here, here,
At CoachNow, we talk a lot about the utility and pitfalls of Video Analysis.
Nothing in this post is revolutionary, but it bears repeating and emphasizing. If you’re gonna leverage technology, it’s important to do it RIGHT.
To that end, I hope you found the advice here valuable. We have a lot more to say on this topic, as you’ll see in the months to come.
For now, be sure to let us know if you have any questions.
And, of course, tell your coaching friends and family to subscribe to our blog here and our weekly Podcast here.
Talk soon!
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