Athletes gain cutting edge to win

New Zealand athletes preparing for next month's Commonwealth Games are among those benefiting from the country's first performance analysis unit.

New Zealand Academy of Sport, North (NZAS North) has established the unit to provide coaches with a deeper level of insight to improve athlete performance.

NZAS North is part of the high performance network of Sport and Recreation New Zealand (Sparc), providing support to elite athletes and coaches.

"Having this kind of technology available to athletes and coaches helps give us that necessary edge that you need to win on the world stage," Sparc chief executive Nick Hill said.

Performance analysis is an emerging area in which coaches and athletes are given very specific feedback on different aspects of their performance, using cutting-edge technology and statistical analysis to present facts rather than opinions.

Members of the NZ Commonwealth Games team working with the unit include Brendon Cameron, coach of Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Sarah Ulmer.

He used NZAS North's GPS system in Melbourne during a recent reconnaissance of the Games road-race and time-trial courses and was then given a detailed course analysis from the unit.

The men's hockey team are using the unit to analyse player movement and heart rate responses during game situations.

"The unit is helping to provide some potentially very exciting new information that will positively contribute to our substitution methods and tactical awareness at the Commonwealth Games and World Cup qualifying tournament," said the Black Sticks coach, Kevin Towns.

Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken has obtained information on player movement from analysis of coded video during tests between New Zealand and Australia.

Bowls New Zealand high performance manager Ashley Light said that performance analysis had improved their ability to analyse, read and develop players and game plans.

"There is no doubt in our minds that the innovative approach demonstrated by NZAS North will not only improve bowls' medal chances at the Games but will assist other sports as well," Light said.

NZAS North chief executive Peter Pfitzinger said the unit is providing coaches with useful information about their athletes' performance.

"With performance analysis, long-held opinions are often challenged and found not to be accurate."

Performance analysis is widely used internationally, such as at the Australian Institute of Sport and the British Sports Institute.

- NZPA