Improving Sport Performance Through Nacsport Video Analysis

In sports analysis and high performance settings, video provides an essential resource. However, many teams and video coordinators still need to overcome the significant obstacle of having countless hours of game film but little time to review the footage.

In this context, it becomes important to find solutions for organizing videos and locating key moments in performance to ease the review and analysis process. Companies like Nacsport have developed specific video analysis software to meet these needs.

Video analysis systems allow video coordinators to observe and analyze critical moments that occur in sport events (mainly during games and training sessions). These are then presented to athletes and coaches so they can count on high-quality information to make better decisions in the future.

Video analysis of moments enables athletes and coaches to make better decisions in the future. Share on X

Nacsport software solutions are specifically designed to improve sport video analysis. Unlike conventional video editing programs, Nacsport offers tools and features developed to simplify and speed up the analysis, so coaches and video coordinators can have access to the precise data in a more effective way.

How Does the System Work?

Nacsport programs have been created to assist every video coordinator or game analyst, no matter their level or budget. Six different options have been carefully scaled with tools to adapt to a full range of needs.

The observer decides which “items” need to be analyzed in any specific game or training situation. These items can be specific actions, players, pitch areas, or any other points of interest. Once decided, buttons are created for each item.

Video 1. Nacsport video analysis software is available in six different options: Nacsport Basic, Basic Plus, Scout Plus, Scout Plus Unlimited, Pro Plus, and Elite.

Any time these items or moments happen during a game or training session, the analyst clicks the corresponding buttons for each of them. Each click generates a register—a tag marking the time when they happened.

When the event is over, the video coordinator will have all these registers organized in two ways: grouped into category rows and with the registers showing chronologically on a timeline.

The coach and/or team will have immediate access to all registers and be able to work with them in the film room. This includes editing their length, adding drawings or text notes, comparing actions, and creating stats, as well as many more features to improve sport analysis workflows.

Analysis concludes with a presentation of the highlights, which can be shared either by exporting the files or playing them back on a computer.

Applying Video Analysis to Achieve Results

Since 2003, more than 5,000 teams and individuals, encompassing more than 35 sports in over 60 countries, have utilized Nacsport video analysis. Here, the analysts on five of those teams discuss the benefits and impact of video analysis on athlete performance.

Atletico Madrid

“Our main goal is to become one of the three most important analysis departments in the world,” says Jose Luis Sanchez Vera, Head of Analysis for Atletico de Madrid.

According to their methodology, Atletico de Madrid’s Analysis Department “want[s] our analysts to observe games to get information, not just capture videos to get footage. We think our work will be important if our knowledge is applied during game day, to reshape goals if necessary so we can improve our players’ performances both as a team and individually.”

The relationship between Nacsport and Atletico de Madrid began during the 2016 season. Daniel Velazquez, then performance analyst with their first team, started to use the software on a personal level. Simultaneously with the club’s U19 side, another performance analyst, Jose Luis Sanchez, did the same. Both teams achieved great results that season.

In light of the outcome, the red and white teams’ managers decided to go beyond by creating the Department of Analysis and increasing their package of licenses so all the Academy teams could be analyzed with the same software.

With Nacsport, Atletico de Madrid “can optimise our time and we can easily extract any data we need. It’s an intuitive tool providing us with insights that enable us to reach the deep data we are looking for. Along with this, it’s so easy to understand the basics that anyone can start using it with a couple of instructions. Our team has adjusted really quickly to the solution.”

Gloucester Rugby

“A lot of our content starts as big files of video, which are then edited down into the most important things our players need to know, to give them the confidence to take the field as prepared as possible,” explains Darren Lewis, Head of Analysis at Gloucester Rugby, a competitive team in the Aviva Premiership.

“We also analyse all of our training sessions. It’s the time on the training field that is so important, so what we provide for the players and coaches in terms of our training resources is crucial. It’s a huge learning environment, so it’s important we take as much out of what we practice as possible.

“We’ve been working on this project for a long time now as there are a lot of factors to consider in making the move to Nacsport,” Lewis continues, describing Gloucester’s switch from a previous analysis system to Nacsport. “But the more and more I sit on the program, watch the reactions of coaches and players when they see some of the features and how easy it is to use, just gives me the absolute confidence that we are going to be able to completely surpass everything I’ve done up until this point.”

Valencia CF

Current Valencia CF boss Macerlino Garcia Toral has been a longstanding Nacsport user. For almost a decade, he has been faithful to the same software. At the beginning of this season, he signed for Valencia CF to restore their lost prestige after some particularly disappointing seasons—and he did it. Now the team is at the top of the table in La Liga, and video analysis played a key role in achieving this result.

Video 2. A Nacsport user for almost a decade, Marcelino Garcia Toral passes on some lessons on how he uses Nacsport video analysis to improve his coaching methods.

“You can customise whatever aspect you need to analyse,” says Toral about versatility as a vital factor in video analysis. “We always analyse our rivals—how they attack and how they defend—but it’s different when it comes to our own analysis. It depends here on how we are facing the game and specific needs on each game.”

Nacsport allows him to customize this analysis.

Silver Ferns

Coaches with different inputs and cultures can all find ways to use the same tools for video analysis, revealing the adaptability and versatility of the solutions. The Silver Ferns are a New Zealand netball team, and Bobby Wilcox has been their performance analyst for over a decade. In 2017, they decided to start using Nacsport.

Wilcox explained: “We use the software to give visual feedback to the players, as well as prepare them for upcoming opposition, through both team presentations and online sharing for the players to watch processes and discuss in their own time. We have found Nacsport very intuitive and easy to pick up quickly—an important feature in a hectic environment!”

Sevilla FC

Sevilla FC has recently showed the world of soccer they are ready for big dreams. After winning four Europe League trophies in a row, this season was time for a major goal: the UEFA Champions League. They did it. Although they were not among the favorites, they reached the Final Eight, even knocking out top-flight Manchester United from the competition.

The Sevilla FC success comes from a commitment across all levels of the club. Their First and Academy teams have worked with Nacsport video analysis software for many years. The ability to apply video analysis does not depend on the head coach or the individual players: The software is established within the whole sporting structure of the club and it has been an essential tool for their analysis workflows.

Video 3. The analysis department at Sevilla FC, a four-time Europe League winner, analyzes future stars.

The Area of Analysis currently has five members. They are responsible for capturing and analyzing all Academy games, and they are also a booster for other areas. “We started with one goal, but today we are much more than that. We are still responsible for capturing and analysing games and training sessions, but we are now helping staff in specific training sessions when they request it. We capture and analyse strength work, physical tests, etc.,” explains Ramon Vazquez, Head of Analysis. “The Area of Analysis is now a booster for other areas, but they all have a common goal: improve the team’s performance.”

“We intend the Academy to benefit from our work by any means, filtering information and footage. Without Nacsport, this task would be impossible. You help us save hours of work and you enrich our work. We can do this with a couple of buttons. Saving time make us more efficient so we can focus on improving players and teams.”

Analysis for All

Nacsport pursues the ideal of Analysis for All. The company has developed its software solutions to comply with the requirements of all coaches and sports staff—no matter their level, budget, or sport—with a suite of products that is scalable depending on end user needs. Nacsport provides the performance analysis community with simple, quick, and effective leading video analysis solutions that are constantly updated and improved to provide users with more and better tools each and every day.

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