While the ultimate goal of any coach is to have their team playing at the highest level possible, and winning championships in their respective sport, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Winning and succeeding on a consistent basis is the most visible part of a successful program.
But many things go into the successful end result that everyone sees. One of those things? Accurate statistics. As a coach, accurate statistics matter in many ways. First, they help identify strengths and weaknesses of a particular game plan. If you can spot positive or negative trends within these statistics, you’ll be able to make adjustments accordingly. For example, if you’re a football coach, and your offensive output is in the Top 20 nationally, but your defensive points allowed ranking is in the 50s or 60s nationally, you’ll know it’s time to work with your defensive staff to make adjustments to your plan to stop the opponent.
Accuracy when keeping statistics also matters when it comes to deciding which player is performing better in certain situations. Again for example, you’re trying to figure out how to stop your opponent on third down on a more consistent basis. You’re running a 3-4 defense which likely means the scheme is focused on coverage, rather than rushing the quarterback. You have two defensive backs to choose from to go against the opponent’s top receiver on that play. The statistics you have show that one of those defensive backs is good at times in coverage, but occasionally he gets burnt for a big play. The other defensive back’s stats show that he’s more reliable in big situations, and he shuts down opposing receivers more consistently. Statistical accuracy when measuring things like opponent YAC (yards after catch), passes defended (passes knocked down), and the percentage of completed passes thrown in the direction of a certain defender are absolutely critical in situations that could make or break a game or season. Accurate stats matter in those situations because they can help you make the right decision in crunch time.
Lastly, accurate stats matter because they can help keep your players safe from injury, or help them recover. In many sports, injury is a common occurrence. Certain players are also more injury-prone than others. If you accurately keep track of who gets injured, what type of injury they have, and if there is a consistent pattern of recurring injuries of a certain type, you can begin to work with your medical staff to develop a plan of care that’s unique to every position group or every player. Then, depending on whether or not the plan works in lowering or preventing injuries in the future, you can adjust it accordingly on the advice of your medical staff. Yes, succeeding on the field is very important. But as a coach, it’s perhaps even more important to take care of the health and safety of your team.
Statistics of all kinds inform how coaches run every aspect of their team. These are just three examples of why keeping accurate statistics is so critical to success. They help determine whether you’ll struggle, or whether you’ll run a well-oiled machine firing on all cylinders!
