Evaluation for sport technique improvement

This work describes the main reasons that justify the use of diverse forms of evaluation of the technique in the different sports. A wide gap exists in the way the different components of sport performance are currently evaluated: there is in fact an abundance of scientific works and publication related to the laboratory functional evaluation and to a wide range of field tests. The validation and use of such tools has a key place in the sport sciences especially if compared to the limited debate concerning the evaluation of sport skills and its scientific study. In spite of this a lot of reasons in favour of this kind of evaluation can be identified that include: - The identification of technical model of performance that can be a standard reference with increasing detail and precision; - A more effective selection of the drills and teaching progressions suitable to facilitate skills learning; - More effective and less subjective procedure usable to identify and explain the most common technical errors, to select the means to avoid or correct them; - The personalised diagnosis of the technical level of an athlete and an optimal use of the individual motor potential. - Quick Information and feedback In order to achieve these goals, a conceptual and theoretical clarification on the concept of sport technique and its different forms and meaning is needed. An overview of the methods for technique evaluation will be presented that include qualitative checklists and questionnaires, quantitative methods for the evaluation of kinematics and dynamic variables (distance, times, speed, acceleration, forces). More complex parameters including the stability and consistency of the movements, their rhythm and combination will be also presented and illustrated in their scientific foundation and practical implications. An illustration of the process leading from technical evaluation to optimization of training will be finally provided.