My New Year’s Resolution

TIME FOR SELF-REFLECTION

The approaching New Year usually marks the time for self-reflection and subsequent New Year’s resolution.  So much has happened in the past year.  When I think back to at the start of 2011, I was in the process of applying for UWIC and Nottingham Trent University.  I only had a half a season of performance analysis with Dulwich Tuskers under my belt.  I had never heard of SportsCode, dashboards or the Apple key.  At the very end of 2011, I know what these are and I can see my knowledge and experience has expanded exponentially.  This is partly evidenced in my blog.  This is clearly due to starting the MSc Performance course at UWIC (now Cardiff Metropolitan University) 12 weeks ago and the exposure I have received from it.

LEARNING FOR LEARNING’S SAKE?

Whilst the learning and logging many late hours is great, I have to remember this very important question:

What is my end game? 

My purpose is ultimately to get a paid job (see blog post).  I do feel I am one of the best and experienced volleyball statistician and analyst in the country but I know there’s no money in the sport.  Any paid volleyball analysis jobs will either be at National Governing Body level or abroad, which will be highly competitive.  Most paid jobs seem to be in football and rugby.  My main obstacle for now is gaining knowledge and experience in those sports. 

MY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

The obstacle above makes me think about the subsequent New Year’s resolution (although technically, there are more like goals for the next 3 months).  Below are the five main ones:

1.  Get analysis experience in football with UWIC Archers Football.2.  Get analysis experience in rugby with UWIC Archers Rugby.3.  Find out who are the volleyball analysts in England.4.  Found out whether there are opportunities abroad.5.  Make contacts!  This is perhaps the most important one.  Find out who the players are in the performance analysis world and make contact.  As somebody might say: what are the rules of engagement?

I have a plan of how I am going to go about achieving this.  Let’s hope it works and by the end of June, I have a performance analyst job lined up!

LASTLY…

I HOPE THE NEXT YEAR WILL BE THE VERY BEST YEAR YOU EVER HAD!  HAPPY NEW YEAR FOLKS!!!