My high school baseball coach was one of the most influential people in my young life. Coach Degre was a junior high health teacher and fireman, yet still found time to coach our team. And he didn’t just coach. He lived and breathed baseball. He’d literally do anything to help us get better, whether that meant opening up the gym at 6 a.m. during the winter so we could hit off the tee or taking the team to a local Minor League game so we could watch the only professional baseball team within a four-hour drive.
At the end of a spring practice, we’d gather up for our departing cheer and he’d always send us off by saying, “Now go home and watch some baseball, will ya?” But he didn’t mean zone out in front of the TV. He meant LEARN something from watching the best of the best.
So much can be learned from becoming actively engaged in watching sports. I took this to heart during this year’s World Cup. I’m not much of a soccer fan, but as a fan of all things fitness and athleticism, I watched. Rather than get caught up in the international rivalries, I was awed by the finesse and fluidity of the world’s best soccer players. I took note of how they sprinted, jumped, kicked and cut. I learned a lot about soccer and I think I even became a better strength coach.
Coaches use what’s called a Needs Analysis to determine what physical qualities are important for athletic performance in a certain sport. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Essentials of Strength and Conditioning, a Needs Analysis is an evaluation of the requirements and characteristics of the activity/sport that considers:
- Movement analysis
- Physiological analysis
- Injury analysis
- Cardiovascular endurance
- Speed
- Agility
- Flexibility
Anyone who watched the World Cup could see that the players needed a highly specific blend of all these qualities, varying from position to position. My latest article on Stack.com discusses how to watch sports on TV with the Needs Analysis at the forefront of your mind.
Watching sports on TV shouldn’t be wasted time. If you’re an athlete or coach, it’s an opportunity to increase your understanding of physical performance and apply that knowledge to your own training. Learn to use the Needs Analysis to make your TV time more productive.