UPDATE: 112/2/10: After some comments, here's a plain english version first:

Advanced athletes and coaches can gain a lot by breaking down the key factors (actions, abilities, capabilities) that contribute to success in thier sport into bite size chunks so that they can be addressed individually. This makes a clear distinction between the "whole" and an individual "ability." Then, as a group, rank these key factors by their importance to the sport. Then, individually, rate how you match up to those key factors. Yes, this is very much like corporate performance management, but it works.

Athletes learn that they affect their performance by their bias. Each athlete contributes to their individual training needs by defining the most important factors for excellence up front. It also gives the coaches a way to speak to athletes based on these defined key performance factors as opposed to generalities. If an individual athlete scores themselves a 6 in ability in a key factor that was ranked a 10 in importance, then that factor needs improvement. If on the other hand an athlete scored a 9 on a key factor that was ranked a 9, then that is a strength to celebrate!

Original:

Performance Profiling consists of assessing relative strengths and weaknesses of the athlete. These can then be used as a means of planning training, and maintaining motivation. What makes up a Performance Profile?

Paddling Construct

A construct is a fundamental ability or aptitude necessary to excel in your specific sport. Paddling constructs would be those that are necessary and beneficial the sport of paddling.

Why do we want to define these?

Initially, because it allows us to talk about the individual abilities in a common way, but more importantly, it allows us to define those aspects that are most important to us. After defining these and agreeing on the necessary aspects for achievement in paddling, we can plan effective progressions to benefit the team’s performance. Additionally, by rating our own performance in relation to each of these constructs, coaches gain necessary tools and buy in from the athlete to help individual paddlers succeed.

Below is a sample list of constructs:

• Strength
• Speed/Power
• Focus
• Rotation
• Desire to train
• Catch
• Compression
• Pull
• Exit
• Return
• Concentration
• Reach/stroke length
• Enjoyment
• Efficiency
• Style
• Technique
• Finish
• Water feel
• Desire to win
• more/less?

After creating your list, again the above is a sample only, we need to rate the importance of each construct as a team on a scale of 1-10.

• Strength 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Speed/Power 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Focus 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Rotation 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Desire to train 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Catch 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Compression 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Pull 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Exit 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Return 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Concentration 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Reach/stroke length 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Enjoyment 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Efficiency 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Style 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Technique 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Finish 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Water feel 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Desire to win 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• more/less?

Once we have these, we should each rate our own achievement in each construct.

• Strength 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Speed/Power 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Focus 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Rotation 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Desire to train 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Catch 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Compression 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Pull 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Exit 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Return 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Concentration 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Reach/stroke length 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Enjoyment 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Efficiency 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Style 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Technique 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Finish 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Water feel 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• Desire to win 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
• more/less?

The idea is for the team to come together as a group to define these and their importance to the sport. Simply by doing this, the team will learn three main things. First, there is a lot to the sport of paddling. Second, they will learn what the team as a whole deems important. Third, each athlete will rate themselves individually in relation to these specific abilities, as opposed to attempting to evaluate themselves as a whole. The last is of primary importance, as it will open many athletes' eyes, and give a clear indication of their individual weaknesses and strengths! This can also apply at the team level, simply by combining the scores into an average for each construct. The team can then see where they stand overall in relation to where they want to be.

The next step is for the coach to evaluate each athlete, and discuss any discrepancies with the athlete self assessment. This gives the individual paddler a very good idea about appropriate goals or areas to focus, and the coach the tools to get buy in to develop the necessary skills.

These ratings should the be revisited regularly, with the hope that the difference between importance level and achievement level diminishes over time!

I love Win-Win scenarios, and this provides one of the best.