Journal of Sports Analytics - Volume 6, issue 3

Authors: Benincasa, Giacomo | Pavlikov, Konstantin | Hearn, Donald

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The golf director problem is a sports management problem that aims to find an allocation of golf players into fair teams for certain golf club competitions. The motivation for fairness as the objective is that club golf competitions are recreational events for which the golf director needs to form teams that are competitive even though they consist of players with different skill levels measured by their USGA (http://www.usga.org ) or R&A (http://www.randa.org ) handicaps. We formalize the concept of “fairness" of allocation of players into teams playing 18-hole golf games and argue that finding an optimal assignment of players to …teams is intractable for even the fastest computers. Instead, we provide an efficient simulation and optimization-based procedure that finds a near-optimal fair team allocation. Computational tests show the approach to be better than standard methods. A computer implementation of the solution method is publicly available and located at http://www.fairgolfteams.com . The website provides a golf director with a variety of controls to manage and run club golf competitions in a fair way. This is described in the appendix. Show more

Keywords: Simulation, Swap Heuristics, Golf Game Management, Golf Handicapping

DOI: 10.3233/JSA-200346

Citation: Journal of Sports Analytics, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 155-172, 2020

Authors: Berndsen, Jakim | Lawlor, Aonghus | Smyth, Barry

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The wall is an iconic feature of the marathon. If runners hit the wall , usually around the 30km (20mi) mark, their pace slows dramatically, leaving them to struggle to the finish-line. While the physiology of the wall is reasonably well understood – a critical combination of fatigue and a lack of available fuel as the body’s glycogen stores become depleted – its actual impact is less well studied. In this paper we present a large-scale data-driven study of how and when recreational marathon runners hit the wall. We do this by analysing the pacing patterns of almost 60,000 runners …across more than 250 races. The main contributions are: (1) an operational definition of the wall by identifying its key pacing features; and (2) and analysis of hitting the wall for runners, based on their age, gender and ability, using this definition. Show more

Keywords: Marathon running, pace analysis, recreational running, marathon analysis, machine learning, sports analytics

DOI: 10.3233/JSA-200354

Citation: Journal of Sports Analytics, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 173-186, 2020

Authors: Groll, Andreas | Heiner, Jonas | Schauberger, Gunther | Uhrmeister, Jörn

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract:  In this work, we compare several different modeling approaches for count data applied to the scores of handball matches with regard to their predictive performances based on all matches from the four previous IHF World Men’s Handball Championships 2011 – 2017: (underdispersed) Poisson regression models , Gaussian response models and negative binomial models . All models are based on the teams’ covariate information. Within this comparison, the Gaussian response model turns out to be the best-performing prediction method on the training data and is, therefore, chosen as the final model. Based on its estimates, the IHF World Men’s Handball …Championship 2019 is simulated repeatedly and winning probabilities are obtained for all teams. The model clearly favors Denmark before France. Additionally, we provide survival probabilities for all teams and at all tournament stages as well as probabilities for all teams to qualify for the main round. Show more

Keywords: IHF World Men’s Handball Championship 2019, handball, Lasso, Poisson regression, sports tournaments

DOI: 10.3233/JSA-200384

Citation: Journal of Sports Analytics, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 187-197, 2020

Authors: Stewart, Ethan | Stewart, Megan | Simpson, Jeffrey | Knight, Adam | Chander, Harish | Shapiro, Robert

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In order to successfully hit a baseball, hitters must utilize a series of preparatory movements (swing phases) which include shifting their body weight, stepping, landing, and swinging. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between start times for swing phases (shifting, stepping, landing, and swinging)for currently active baseball players. Participants (n  = 12) were all current collegiate baseball athletes. Retroreflective markers, surface electromyography (EMG) and two force platforms were utilized to complete a swing analysis. Each participant completed five swinging trials off a tee. All dependent variables were compared using a repeated measures 1×4 ANOVA with LSD post …hoc comparison (p  < 0.05) if necessary. The results demonstrated that the participants started the swing phases in a statistically significant sequence of shifting, stepping, landing, and swinging. The ability of the athletes to start the swing phases in this sequential order may be advantageous to regulate spatial parameters of their swing and provide more time to generate power. These results allow for coaches to better understand how to instruct their athletes to be successful at the plate. Show more

Keywords: Biomechanics, kinematics, sport performance, coaching, hitting

DOI: 10.3233/JSA-200394

Citation: Journal of Sports Analytics, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 199-204, 2020

Authors: Modekurti, Durga Prasad Venkata

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract:  The purpose of this paper is to develop a deterministic model for setting the target in T-20 Cricket by the team batting first. Mathematical tools were used in model development. Recursive function and secondary data statistics of T-20 cash rich cricket tournament Indian Premier League (IPL) such as runs scored in different stages, fall wickets in different stages, and type of pitch are used in developing the model. This model was tested at 120 matches held IPL 2016 and 2017. This model had been proved effective by comparing with the models developed earlier. This model can be a useful tool …to the stakeholders like coach and captain of the team for adopting better strategy at any stage of the match. For future research, this model can be useful in framing a regulation work by policy makers at both national and international cricket board by deriving the target score during interruptions. Show more

Keywords: Keywords: Deterministic model, mathematical tools, T-20 cricket, target score

DOI: 10.3233/JSA-200397

Citation: Journal of Sports Analytics, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 205-213, 2020

Authors: Devlin, Stephen | Uminsky, David

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: We address the question of how to quantify the contributions of groups of players to team success. Our approach is based on spectral analysis, a technique from algebraic signal processing, which has several appealing features. First, our analysis decomposes the team success signal into components that are naturally understood as the contributions of player groups of a given size: individuals, pairs, triples, fours, and full five-player lineups. Secondly, the decomposition is orthogonal so that contributions of a player group can be thought of as pure: Contributions attributed to a group of three, for example, have been separated from the lower-order …contributions of constituent pairs and individuals. We present detailed a spectral analysis using NBA play-by-play data and show how this can be a practical tool in understanding lineup composition and utilization. Show more

Keywords: Basketball, lineups, group contributions, spectral analysis, representation theory

DOI: 10.3233/JSA-200407

Citation: Journal of Sports Analytics, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 215-234, 2020