APPS FOR SPORTING STATS

As the summer season approaches, here are some Apps that may help coaches  and/or players to view a stats round-up of the games they play. I have focused on Basketball and Cricket, but these Apps should give you a taste of the type of info you can extract from any sport.

BASKETBALL
Basketball Stats Lite (free)

Basic stats capture, but everything included - can print a Shot Chart, individual and team stats. Easy to use interface, player and team manager let you view stats for individual game as well as a season.

ESPN iScore Basketball ($10.49)

Brilliant functionality and awesome interface. Twitter posting and website iScorecast allows those not at the game to follow it play by play by entering a code on a website (even to the point of who has the ball, who they pass to etc.). An excellent email function allows match data for one or both teams to be emailed in .csv .xls. or .pdf formats, with individual stats, team stats and individual player shot charts. Easy to use with a variety of different data entry formats depending on how much or little of the game is to be captured. Well worth the $10.

CRICKET
nxCricket HD - Cricket Scorebook ($14.99)

A brilliant cricket scorebook app that keeps on improving with each update. These guys really respond to user feedback - any gap is soon rectified. An awesome interface and ease of use make this app super appealing for junior and senior teams. Amount of overs, number of runs per extra, maximum balls per over can all be modified, making it flexible enough to use for junior teams. The player photos, and email functionality also make this a useful app for feedback. Some features take some time to understand (eg batting line-up, retiring batsmen batting a second time etc.). The Manhatton and Worm graphs provide instant feedback for the team. I use it every game!

CRICKET COACH PLUS HD ($2.99)

An excellent app to use during training to show body positioning/movement and timing of a skill example. Can use slow mo, superimpose video overlay, as well as the ability to draw on the paused video to demonstrate points. I use each session for batters, bowlers and fielders.

HANDWRITING vs TYPING

It's becoming a big question, particularly with the recent influx of schools taking up 1:1 laptop programs.

msofficesupport.blogspot.com

Shang Lee brings up some good points in her blog (read here) best of all in her opening line explaining the last time she wrote something substantial was in an exam. The point of handwriting exams? I'm not sure.

The tactile nature of handwriting and the 'feeling' of the words expressed by authors may be missing, but this can be outweighed by getting ideas down quickly etc. To be honest, and an upfront apology to all authors, I don't get much of a 'feeling' from writing (except maybe frustration and cramp after prolonged periods).

The decision by Indiana Department of Education to lift enforcement of handwriting to be taught raises many questions. Feeble reasons to continue handwriting include the need for signatures, and the old favourite of educational discussions 'because we've always done it like that'. More details can be found here which include an outline about some other state's decisions.

For me, I'm not sure what's right or wrong, but I know that I need to handwrite in my life, and not every form of communication is from typing. If this is communication I need for myself (ie shopping list, reminders etc.) then it is no one else's responsibility, nor will it impact on anyone else, as to its legiblity. The problem is if it is communication with someone else (a 'please call back' note, a hand written order form etc.) then responsibility is on me to ensure my writing can is legible to communicate to my audience. Should I open my laptop, create a new word processing file, type, spell check, print, collect and deliver? Is it speed vs legibility now?

With NAPLAN rumoured to be going online around 2014, national organisations seem to be placing emphasis on the need for ICT to communicate ideas, as opposed to handwriting (or is it to avoid the 6 month wait for results?). ICT has been given priority in the 7 General Capabilities of the Australian National Curriculum, and the decision to move assessments online reinforce this priority.

After all of this discussion, one thing's for sure: if we abolish the teaching of handwriting, this will definitely impact on sales of Post-It notes...

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