Quantifying technical skills

[hipjaw]

Okay so this is an idea I had after discussing how important technical skills are compared to paintball know-how. The latter isn't particularly quantifiable howevery I believe the former, to an extent, can be.

Not being a particularly good statistician myself I want to forward the idea and see what people think.

The goal of this is to create a test, which shouldn't take too long to perform (maybe 10-25 minutes) with the help of a coach to record scores and times, which gives the player a quantified "skill rating".

So a very basic example would be:

Static accuracy:
1. In 10 seconds and 10 shots, snapshoot a target that is 10/15/20m away with your left hand.
2. In 10 seconds and 10 shots, snapshoot a 140 pod on a stick that is 10/15/20m away with your right hand.

You will be scored x/20

Laning accuracy:

3. Starting at the gate, shoot for a target 25m (however long a paintball field is) away 10 times left handed
4. Starting at the gate, shoot for a target 25m away 10 times right handed

You will be scored x/20 points for every target hit.

Running/gunning accuracy:
5. Run to a bunker on your right 15m away shooting a target that is 20m ahead
6. Run to a bunker on your left 15m away shooting a target that is 20m ahead

You will be scored for each hit on the target and also timed (thinking there should be a speed bonus / penalty applied so someone who hits the target 5 times in 4 seconds should score higher than someone who hits it 5 times I'm 6 seconds)


The test scores will then be able to highlight where your weaknesses are, but also collated together to come to the overall player score.

Now that is nowhere near the full article, I believe there should be more things tested (such as time taken to break to a bunker, dive and then successfully hit a target x distance away etc etc)

My question to you is: could a standardized technical ability test be useful to tournament paintball teams? I believe yes because coaches can record players' monthly scores and, see who is improving, who has peaked and who is obviously not putting enough effort in with their drills. Obviously the best skilled can be outwitted by other players with more experience. BUT if your new recruits are putting your most experienced to shame, maybe it will be a wake up call to people who think their experience trumps drill training.

If you agree then I would be keen to hear what tests you would include, and even better, what factors should be weighted more than others (accuracy over speed etc)

 

[Dusty]

Russian Legion have been doing it like this for years, their squads were picked based on who scored best in training.

It is a good idea but doesn't take natural flair into account, or that person who can bust a game open with a single mugging run. The people who can read the game are invaluable.

When my brother and I played together it was almost telepathic what we got up to sometimes. How do you quantify teamwork?

 

[hipjaw]

I would never expect a standardized test to take into account field awareness, communication, experience and the 'x-factor'.

That makes and breaks the best of the best. But on a more realistic note would you say UK teams lose by lacking an 'X-factor', being the subject of game breaking moves... or do they get shot out of their bunkers and taken to pieces?

I'm not suggesting that this is the answer, I'm merely asking if it could be a useful tool to motivate players to be at their best? Master the skills and then you only have to think about the game.

 

[Shepherd:03]

It's an interesting idea, although with technical skills there is often an unquantifiable element - such as acting under pressure, or even your snapping profile. Would you be able to test those effectively on a similar basis?

 

[hipjaw]

Snapping profile is a good point that I did consider but I don't have a solution for it yet.

Pressure is also an unquantifiable mechanic that comes under the experience bracket. But just like any sport you can nail a technique but choke on the day under pressure. It doesn't mean the technique can't be measured.

The test would be to see how well practiced the players are on the lead up to the event. A captain/coach would then know who to put in for the make-or-break points with high pressure.

 

[Stan]

Mount a video camera in front of a bunker. Snap out and hit a target. Play back in slow mo and count the number of frames it takes to get in and out and hit the target... quantifiable, simple enough if you have access to a camera and can be done on your own and will show you how much of your profile you're exposing.