We have become a world full of artificial intelligence, algorithms, and countless technology shortcuts, and these advances are as present in modern-day sports as anywhere else. As pro and college sports become more lucrative, and as technology progresses, we continue to see increasingly more ways in which science is being used to guide personnel decisions. Data is being collected at every turn, and more teams today employ professionals (or entire data analysis departments) to understand and apply important information that can be used to build better teams. While all of this sounds great, is it? When data is used erroneously and/or irresponsibly, an argument can be made that future decisions will be impacted in negative ways. An additional concern centers around the human element, specifically how expert opinions (i.e. former players, coaches) are being pushed aside in exchange for data. While younger technology experts infiltrate modern sports, more seasoned baseball experts warn that there are dangers relying exclusively on modern advances over human expert opinions and analysis.
Technology can be overwhelming & lead to poor results
Former MLB manager Joe Maddon recently discussed his views on analytics, and he offered a different spin on the subject. Rather than saying whether sport analytics were “good or bad,” Maddon instead centered his opinions around just how much information there is today, and how the sheer volume of information often causes more harm than good. Maddon’s position is that players can become overwhelmed and bogged down by all the data, taking them away from simply playing the game. We are at our best in life when we get into Flow, and we allow our inner focus and confidence to help us experience success at a task (true for elite athletes, as well as the rest of us). When we try and make sense of an abundance of data, not only are there challenges in understanding what the numbers mean, but the turn in focus away from playing the game toward crunching data can be too much for athletes.
When I think about Maddon’s comments, and combine them with my own clinical experiences helping athletes improve mental toughness, I think he is spot on with his views. Many of the athletes I have worked with at my practice have told me that the data today is too much, and that they often experience anxiety as a result. Interestingly, many of these athletes never had an issue with anxiety before being bombarded with all the latest technology! In fact, most great athletes reached their high levels by just playing the game, not trying to match their game to specific technology criteria. Athletes have told me they felt overwhelmed, and constantly trying to hit numbers generated by a computer disrupted their mind-body synchrony, negatively impacted confidence, and generally made them more nervous.
Technology can be great, and can be used in healthy and positive ways in sports. The questions that Joe Maddon pose center around the human qualities technology may not do such a great job at, including measuring instincts, heart, and resiliency. While technology might help us measure a spin rate in baseball, it tells us nothing about player intensity, and what players will perform best in the clutch. Today’s trend in sports is to go with the numbers and trust the data, but there are still so many variables that simply cannot be counted accurately, resulting in a lot of confusion when it comes to successfully scouting athletes.
Final thoughts
Just as in life, the sports-world is embracing the latest technology in hopes of improved efficiency and better results. While many of these new advances are helpful, critics worry that data can be misused, and that many successful athlete attributes can’t be measured. When we overly-rely on data at the expense of expert opinion, we miss out on gaining a full picture of what is happening, and our conclusions are flawed as a result. The best approach is an integration of some modern technology, balanced by former players and coaches who can lend their expertise.
drstankovich.com
