Getting up and running

I have been fully dedicating my time to my VA&Video Performance Analyst business for the last couple weeks and I am noticing a couple things.

1. Getting new clients is a lot harder than I thought it would be.   I had done some research on the VA world and it seemed like there was a lot of positions within it.  Now that I am in it full time I am finding it is a lot harder than I thought it would be.   Seeing postings and how many people are also trying to get these positions is overwhelming.   I also cant believe how many people there are who are just starting out and trying to do the same thing as I am.   This is a cut throat business and not to be taken lightly.
2. Video Performance Analytics is what I love doing but I am not sure there is a market for it right now.   I have purchased a program called SportsCode and am hoping to contract out my business to do some video breakdowns for multiple teams however I find that most teams don’t have the money to bring someone in to do this.   They don’t have the money to hire someone full time, however they also don’t want to contract it out.

While I look at these two trends that I feel can be overwhelming at times I also have an eager energy and desire to overcome these obstacles.  I want to show everyone that yes its hard but I can do it anyways and that I can do it on my own as my own business.   I love feeling freedom and being able to adventure into new things.  I cant wait to see what the future holds for me.

I am also discovering that I love writing and maybe will extend my love for writing into my VA services!

How can I use video analytics at the grass roots level?

Most people think video analytics is only for high performance and high level teams. However there is so much that can be done with it at the fundamental grass roots level.  

One of the best things is just to get young athletes used to watching themselves and what is going on around them.  They may not understand the specifics or be able to duplicate immediately what they see but getting started at just looking and watching is a good skill to have.  

One way to do this is focus what they are watching.   You can have them watch themselves or someone similar to them that they may guard against.  Keeping a narrow focus helps them get good at looking at specific things. If they have too many options or too broad of a focus they often will get overwhelmed or lost in what they are watching.  

You don’t have to watch hours and hours. Keep it short.  Ask questions such as what did you see? What would you do different? What would you do the same next time? You can guide them but don’t give them answers.  Let them self discover.  If they don’t have them all that’s ok.  Let them think and ask them next time. 

You can pick which clips to show yourself using a movie player or software or you can look at third party companies who break video down for you such as Hudl.  Another option could be a company that works with you 1 on 1 such as Alley-Oop Consulting (alleyoopconsulting.ca) 

Whatever you decide keep things specific and guide the discussion but let them come to the answers.  

Why use Alley-Oop Consulting for Video Analytics?

I get the coach.ca newsletter and this month they had an awesome article from Coaches Plan Magazine titled 5 Reasons Coaches Should Use Video (https://www.coach.ca/coaches-plan-s16544).  Craig Johnson who wrote the article touched on some awesome points some of which I had mentioned in a past post in August.   His 5 main points are:

• 1. DEVELOP YOUR PLAYERS

• 2. STAY OBJECTIVE

• 3. FIND THE RIGHT STATS

• 4. SCOUT YOUR OPPONENTS

• 5. GET ATHLETES RECRUITED

All these points are for sure the best reasons for Video Analytics and I think they are important to get a competitive edge for your athletes.

What I think is important is that once you have the buy-in for any or all of these points and have decided to use your video to help develop your team and give your team the competitive edge that you figure out the best way to do this.   What is the best way for you as a coach or parent or both to manage your time effectively and manage your players times effectively?

My company Alley-Oop Consulting will help with that next step.   The what now?  I provide consulting services that range from just sitting down and helping you prioritize and identify what you find most important and where you want to spend your time to taking the video and breaking it down for you and giving you the clips or stats that you are looking for.

There are a number of companies which provide box solutions for you.   You send them their video and they break it down based on some generic factors/pre-determined items that most people are looking for.   Hudl (where Craig is from) is one of the top that I have seen and worked with.  Everyone is going to offer you similar products.  What it comes down to is the customer service you are going to get and how specific you want to go.

With box solutions, you get general breakdowns and fast turn around time.  With Alley-Oop Consulting you get 1on1 customized solutions as well as individualized direct support.

Contact me to find out more info@alleyoopconsulting.ca

Video Analytics Part 2

In my last post, I talked about what Video Analytics is.   This post is focused on answering “what do I do with it?”

Now obviously I can’t give you all the answers or there would be no need for my services! However, I can help explain what I can do to help you with it and what you will be able to do once you have the breakdowns I have provided.

So, we have gone through the introduction phase, you have given me your video, we have sat down and talked about what you are looking for and I have gotten you the clips you asked for, what now?   After you have your video clips there are 2 options

1) I can work with you to look at them and help guide you with some leading questions to help you figure out why those specific clips are there.   Most often you know what the clips are for because you have requested them specifically and now you are trying to get information out of them and figure out were they good or bad instances of what you have asked to watch.     If they are bad, I would then guide you into figuring out what was wrong with them and how we can improve in that situation.  If they are good, then I would guide you with questions around your decisions at that point and how we can make sure we make those good decisions again in the future.   This option can be done in person, through a virtual meeting like Skype, over the phone, or with a questionnaire that you fill out as you go and I check to make sure you have the understanding without me physically being there.

2) The second option is that you take the video and watch it yourself without me guiding you.    This is a good option if you are fully aware of what to look for and why you are looking for those things or if you have someone else like a coach or parent who is capable of leading you through a guided discover (as I have in the first option).

No matter which option you choose it is very important that you are watching your video with specific intentions and purpose and you are pulling out information on how to improve or keep doing well to repeat a good performance.

There are many books, blogs, and YouTube videos out there that tell you what you should be looking for, however, I am a firm believer that every athlete is different and there is no one main way to do things for everyone.   This is why the initial meeting is so important as well as constant follow-up and communication.

Having someone to help guide you not tell you will help you develop as an individual overall and make it more of a personal experience in which you are invested and committed to.   How many times has your coach told you to do something and you say yeah and think you are but when you see yourself on the video you realize you actually aren’t?    This is where self-discovery and awareness come into play.  Once you have seen it and identified its chances of not doing it or doing it again (if its good) are higher because you are aware instead of it just being something that came in one ear and possibly out the other.

I am talking here about devleopment and player awareness.  Looking at stats and analytics from that side is a whole nother story and topic that will be covered later.  I am current reading and doing research on advanced analytics and how to use those for player development.   More to come!

 

Video Analytics Part 1

I have recently started my video analytics company and in my journey of promoting it have come across a couple commonalities when I tell people what I do.   First, they ask “What is that?”  and the second thing that I have been asked is “What do I do with it?”

This has lead me to the idea of creating a blog series about video analytics, the services I provide and some suggestions, tips for people who have a ton of video sitting around the house of their kids playing sports.  And then from there who knows where it will go.

This first post is mostly information about me and my business to give you an idea of where I am coming from.  This will answer part of the question “What is it?”

When I think of video analytics I think of player development.  Using video to help players develop to their full potentials.   There are multiple ways to do this, hence the multiple services I can offer.  Development of athletes is very individualized, anyone who sells you a general package that they use is full of it.   Video analytics is the same way.   Everyone has a different level of understanding, knowledge, ability to see the game, ability to see themselves objectively, and ability to comprehend what they are seeing.   I start with every client by sitting down and talking with them about their goal & objectives for themselves, their season, and their development.

I start with every client by sitting down and talking with them about their goal & objectives for themselves, their season, and their development.  This helps give me a framework for what I am going to target in the breakdown of the video.   From here, if their coaches are involved in the project I will sit down with the coach and ask them the same questions.  Often athletes and coaches priorities are different, so I want to be able to amalgamate the two into something meaningful and actionable.

Once we have an idea of what is a priority for that specific athlete, they send me their video and I start to pull out the clips that show these items that they want to focus on.   After the first set of breakdowns, I have the athlete watch it and tell me what they see and why the feel I picked those specific clips and how they relate to the targeted areas.  If they are able to identify and get what is going on and are comfortable we keep on with the process, send me a video I send you clips.   If you are struggling or having trouble I will sit with the client (virtually or in person) and discuss what to watch for and help guide them.

This is for individuals.  What happens when a coach wants analytics done for their team? Basically, the same thing, sit down talk about priorities and what they are looking for, send me the video, you watch first, then if needed I will jump in and help guide.

From here we then go into the question “What do I do with it?”  Stay tuned for my next post to address just that!

 

Establishing Yourself as a new Business is Hard

So 2 months in, have my business website up, started reaching out to contacts that I have, created a plan in my mind (did not write it down) and here I am sitting at my desk with three potential clients no commitments and my mind racing.

I am an intellectual person who loves to research everything.  I feel the more knowledge I have the better equipt I will be to achieve what I want.  I am diving in head first into research on advanced analytics as well as reaching potential.  I have also been diving into the virtual assistant world and finding a ton of information about it.

I know that everyone has their own ways and theories about how to succeed and I think it is great that everyone wants to share those theories with everyone.   Many people find their success stories motivational and that they give them a kick in the pants to get their business off the ground.   What I have found is that they don’t seem to share how hard it is to get to that successful point.   They don’t talk about how long and how much effort it takes to get those initial clients and get to a point where you are making some money and not stressing every day about how you are going to make ends meet.

I am here to say that establishing yourself as a new business is hard! It is mentally and emotionally exhausting.  That being said, every time I meet with or talk to a potential new client I get this surge of energy that makes me excited, it makes me think of the endless possibilities that are ahead of me.  It makes me think about how much I love what I am doing and can’t wait to share this love with all of my future clients.

I am still on this journey I am still trying to get established but I have not lost hope.  I have started doing more research and putting new practices in place.  One of those things I am putting into place as of today is writing things down.  I feel that once it is written it becomes something I need to do, and if I don’t do it then it nags until it is done. This is one tip that was in many of the researches I have done and I think it has its merits.

I want to say to everyone reading this and everyone who is going through this journey don’t loose hope it is important to push through.  This is one thing on your journey that makes you who you are and makes you special and will help you achieve what is meaningful to you.

If you are a potential client reading this I hope you can see that it is me putting myself out there and being open and honest about myself and my business.  I feel this is important to be open and transparent to everyone I work with.  I also want to say thanks for reading!

Good luck to everyone on their journey!

On my way

I am on my way to getting the company up and running.  A few potential clients on my video analysis side but still working on the virtual assitant side.  

I have been reading all different advice groups and websites about getting new clients and they all seem to say the same things.  Pick your neiche and then flood the market and find clients.   What I find striking is eveyone is reading the same articles and everyone is taking the same advice so my question is how effective is it?  In all honesty I haven’t followed the steps to a T however I have done most of it and still no clients.  

I am going to try my own method.  I am going to reach out to potential clients and work my networks and trust that everything happens for a reason.  Yes it takes work and yes it takes time however I don’t think I need to spend money on training courses (there is a ton of them seems like every VA offers one) to get off the ground. 

I realize that offering blog writing services and the going on a rant about not getting clients could be seen as counterproductive however I feel it is important to show that not only can I do research and positive pieces but I can also be real and open to writing controversial things as well.  

I feel that by showing all sides in what I do and being open and transparent in my abilities I will find clients that I get along well with and can be productive for! 

Hope you all have a great day and I look forward to seeing what will come. 

My Trip Over The Pond

My Journey Over the Pond to the FCN Conference 2017

I have been lucky enough to be a part of the FCN Academy Advisory committee for a few months now.  While this is still a project in the works Vicky has amazing intentions and plans for the FCN and I am proud to see it all come together.  One of those things was the 2017 Conference with Project 500.  When I heard about this conference I initially thought it is an amazing idea and I wish we had one in Canada so I could go.  There was no way I was going to make it out there.   Then after a week of going back and fourth about it I said to myself why not.   Just jump the gun and do it.   I always tell my athletes get comfortable being uncomfortable this was my way of pushing myself to do something that made me extremely uncomfortable.

Right from the start everyone was friendly and things were so organized.  I loved that there was already plans for the sessions to be posted online and for future webinars to follow up and build on what we were learning.  The information packages were awesome and everything was timed phenomenally, yes some sessions were longer than planned but it all worked out and everyone went with the flow which was amazing.  Often you go and they cut off speakers or make you run or rush to the next thing this was very relaxing and enjoyable.  I am glad they decided to film and do followup webinars for the sessions, I wish I could have been in every single one and learnt more and I feel that this will happen with the resources that are going to be available.   I love it!

Incase you cant tell already I loved the day.  There are some key takeaways that I got from the conference that I want to share with everyone including one thing that stood out for me huge.   Lois Fidler said she would “pick and choose when to step up”.   This to me was so affirming.  I am always trying to do everything and step up and prove myself and prove that I am willing and capable of everything that I am attempting to do.   I am sure many other females in the sports world feel this way as well and to hear it come from someone with that level of experience was amazing to me.  I always felt that it was just myself going through these thoughts.   From this realization I got another lightbulb moment, this is why we are here!  This is what the FCN is all about!  This is what the conference is all about!

I want to thank Project 500 and the FCN for having this conference. They put it together from nothing with very little support from outside companies, outside sports organizations, and anyone else who can help contribute.  I think that as people we can do better and I want to use this as a call to action for everyone all over the world.   We as female coaches need your support to provide opportunities like this all over the world.   Contact me (amandammiles@gmail.com) or the FCN or Project 500 and show you support.  Help us build this movement.  Share it on social media #FutureFemaleCoachConferences lets get a movement going!

As a young female coach this one day event has created a push in myself to do better and given me confidence and inspiration to push forward on some projects I have been hesitant about.  I definitely look forward to working with Vicky and the FCN further on how we can have these conferences in other places, I know there is support and a community all over that would benefit from this type of conference.   There is nothing like getting a group of like minded individuals together to share and learn from each other.  Lets all get together and help each other!

~Amanda Miles