IMPROVING ACCURACY, RELIABILITY AND AGREEMENT OF SWIM COACHES’ HAND-TIMING: EXPLORING A STANDARDIZED METHOD FOR HAND-TIMING

Authors

Desmond Boey, Sport SingaporeFollow
Terencia Tan, Nanyang Technological UniversityFollow
Marcel Mourao Rossi, Sport SingaporeFollow

Category

Coaching

Document Type

Paper

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the current accuracy and reliability of, and agreement amongst, coaches’ hand-timing (HT) for a 15 m swim, and to assess if a standardized method of performing the HT can improve these. Three national coaches simultaneously timed two swimmers, each performing seven 15 m swims, for a total of fourteen trials. HT from each coach was compared to 2D video-derived timings, as the reference standard, for assessment of accuracy and reliability, while HT between coaches were compared to assess their agreement with one another. These were compared pre- and post-intervention where a method for performing the HT was introduced. Following this intervention, there appears to be a trend for improved accuracy and reliability within coaches, and improved agreement between coaches’ HT, all of which would present the swimmers with more meaningful timings to assess training progress.

Recommended Citation

Boey, Desmond; Tan, Terencia; and Rossi, Marcel Mourao (2022) "IMPROVING ACCURACY, RELIABILITY AND AGREEMENT OF SWIM COACHES’ HAND-TIMING: EXPLORING A STANDARDIZED METHOD FOR HAND-TIMING," ISBS Proceedings Archive: Vol. 40: Iss. 1, Article 20.
Available at: https://commons.nmu.edu/isbs/vol40/iss1/20