By Jamie Kyte
As I sit down to reflect on my first year in my new role at the University of Birmingham, it’s incredible to think about how much has been achieved in just twelve short months. The past few weeks have been a perfect time to take stock of our progress and set sights on future opportunities. Here’s a look at some of the key milestones we’ve hit this year in developing a robust performance analysis provision.
Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash
1. Launching a New Performance Analysis Initiative
One of the highlights of this year was developing a new performance analysis provision with the Catapult Pro Video Suite for the University of Birmingham’s Hockey & Rugby Performance programs. This initiative supports both the men’s and women’s teams and involves collaborative efforts from an army of second and third year students. This team has worked tirelessly to integrate cutting-edge technology into our coaching and training processes, enhancing our athletes’ performance through detailed insights and analysis.
2. Empowering Students with New Skills
We’ve also focused on creating bespoke opportunities for our students, including enabling them to complete an A2cof2 course to become qualified drone pilots. This certification allows them to fly drones on campus without restrictions, opening up new avenues for capturing innovative footage and performing novel analysis that can transform how we understand movement and strategy in sports.
3. Exceptional Student Contributions
Our third-year students, Lucy Newell and Amy Miller, have been instrumental in delivering high-class analysis support to Jen Barrett, the University’s head of netball. Their dedication and expertise have not only elevated our netball team’s performance but have also served as a testament to the quality of our developing program.
4. Advancing Academic and Practical Knowledge
This year also saw our students complete professional dissertation research topics around the area of Video Analysis Feedback. This research is crucial as it helps us assess the impact of our current video analysis strategies and identify areas for improvement, ensuring that our methods remain at the cutting edge and continue to enhance athletic performance.
5. Success Beyond the University
The fruits of our labor are clearly visible as several students have been successful in securing internships at professional clubs for the next season. Additionally, many are moving on to pursue Masters-level study in Performance Analysis, poised to become the next leaders in this exciting field.
6. Personal Academic Journey
On a more personal note, I have begun my doctoral-level studies, which have been both challenging and enlightening, particularly while managing full-time employment. This journey has opened my eyes to new perspectives and methodologies, enriching my professional and personal growth. I look forward to sharing more milestones from this journey in the coming year.
J.L.Kyte@bham.ac.uk