Notational Analysis of Sport - Practical Manual for Coaches

In this review of Notational Analysis of Sport the reviewer finds a focused, practical manual aimed at practitioners who need a proven method for breaking down sporting performance. First published in 1997 and written by Ian Franks and Mike Hughes, the book is best for coaches, sports scientists and analysts who want a clear, applied introduction to notational analysis. The bottom line: its value lies in practical examples and cross-disciplinary suggestions that make analysis usable in the field rather than an abstract theory text.

Key Features

• Practical manual: Presents step-by-step procedures that let a coach or analyst set up and run a notational study with minimal preparation.
• Applied examples: Includes concrete examples from sport that illustrate how to collect and interpret performance data in real situations.
• Cross-discipline relevance: Explains how notational analysis can be adapted beyond sport to areas such as healthcare and manufacturing.
• Balanced approach: Mixes practical instruction with scientific rationale so readers understand both the how and the why of techniques.
• Accessible language: Written for a spectrum of readers, the text assumes limited prior experience and guides practitioners step by step.

Who It's For

This book is best suited to coaches, sports scientists, performance analysts and advanced students who need a compact, usable reference on notational analysis. It works particularly well as a field manual to support planning and data collection for training or match review.

Readers seeking exhaustive modern statistics, software tutorials or the latest analytics technology should look elsewhere, as the book is a practical manual rooted in established procedures rather than a contemporary data science or software guide.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clear, applied guidance that helps practitioners implement notational studies without excessive theory.
• Examples drawn from sport make the methods tangible and easy to adapt to real coaching tasks.
• Explains applicability to other industries, offering wider value beyond sports alone.

Cons

• Published in 1997, it does not cover recent software tools or modern data visualization techniques.

Specifications

Title	Notational Analysis of Sport
Authors	Ian Franks, Mike Hughes
First published	1997
Intended audience	Sports scientists, coaches, athletes, practitioners
Approach	Practical manual with scientific analysis
Scope	Sport-focused with cross-discipline examples

Our Verdict

Notational Analysis of Sport is a compact, practical manual that remains useful for practitioners who need a methodical way to record and interpret performance. While it does not include modern analytics tooling, its clear examples, applied focus and adaptable procedures make it good value for coaches and sports scientists who want a field-ready reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book suitable for a beginner?
Yes. The text balances examples and explanation so beginners in performance analysis can follow the procedures.

Does it cover modern software tools?
No. As a 1997 manual it focuses on methods and interpretation rather than current software or visualization packages.

Can the methods be used outside sport?
Yes. The authors explicitly note applicability to other performance domains such as healthcare and manufacturing.