Using data skills to turn students’ passion for sports into rewarding careers

Loughborough University is universally recognised for its contribution to sports. It has consistently received top rankings globally for sports-related subjects for nearly a decade and delivers world-leading research in areas such as sport, exercise and health sciences. 

The growing need for data in elite sports

As a hub for elite sports, Loughborough University uses performance analysis to provide its athletes with a competitive edge. In the past, analysis was largely carried out by student volunteers. However, there was no formal pathway for students to develop their performance analysis skills.

Donald Barron, applied performance analysis lead at Loughborough University, set out to solve this problem by designing the MSc in Applied Sport Performance Analysis. As data analytics and visualisation are a key component of this course, he needed a solution that would help students build and apply these skills. 

“The velocity at which data is now created and decisions are made is increasing across industries, but especially in sports where every moment and every decision counts,” says Barron.

How Tableau helps

Tableau academic programmes provide free resources to teach students job-ready data skills. Loughborough University chose to include Tableau as part of a dedicated module on applied sports analytics and visualisation within the MSc degree. The ease of working with Tableau to drill down into data and generate insights quickly influenced this decision. Free access to software and resources through Tableau academic programmes also made the platform appealing and proved valuable in designing the course, says Barron. 

Putting skills into practice 

Loughborough University’s MSc in Applied Sport Performance Analysis combines study with placement in an elite sporting environment where students can develop and test their skills. The 10-week applied sports analytics and visualisation module prepares students to help their placement stakeholders tackle specific performance questions. Through hands-on labs, they learn to clean, prepare, analyse and visualise data using Tableau Prep and Tableau Desktop. With insights and practical advice from experts and guest speakers, they learn the art of data storytelling and how to present findings and recommendations. 

Tom Goodall, co-founder of Touchline Analytics, provides outside expertise and runs Tableau workshops as part of the MSc programme. Goodall says that data analysis has become increasingly important in elite sports, with the top teams using objective information to make better-informed decisions about performance and recruitment.

“The power of Tableau means that these organisations are able to manipulate, analyse and deliver this information in ways that allow key stakeholders to affect behaviours on and off the pitch,” says Goodall. 

Tableau Public, as well as videos and other content from the Tableau community, help students build their data skills and solve specific problems. Beneficial resources offered to students in the past include a Hawaii Tableau User Group session about storytelling with data, and content from Tableau experts Andy Kriebel and Rob Carroll.

The next generation of performance analysts

Many current and past participants from the university’s MSc in Applied Sport Performance Analysis are now at the top of their game, having gained a wealth of applied skills and experience working within elite sporting organisations. 

Amy Peacham is one of those students. While studying sports science, Peacham became interested in performance analysis. The MSc degree and placement as a Loughborough Lightning netball performance analyst have deepened her enthusiasm and focused her interest in sports analytics. The degree has also turned Peacham into a fan of Tableau and she’s now using it to help the Loughborough Lightning netball team analyse previously untapped data. 

“I knew data was used alongside video for performance analysis, but the degree opened my eyes to how significant data analytics has become and how many career opportunities there are in this space,” says Peacham. 

Joe Sheehan, another student from the MSc programme, is completing his placement as a performance analyst at a Premier League football club. A lifelong football fan, Sheehan joined the course after studying maths and sports science as an undergraduate student. His placement with the football club, which was an existing user of Tableau, helped him build skills that he sees as increasingly vital in competitive sports. 

“Every match generates around 1,500 rows of data from on-the-ball events alone. As sports become more data-driven, teams need people with data skills who can break down the data and make it useful for coaches and other decision makers whose expertise lies in sports rather than data analytics,” said Sheehan.

Another student from the programme, Alex Brewer is similarly enthusiastic about data analytics and the impact of making data simple and engaging for coaches and athletes. Before signing up for the MSc, Brewer secured a placement at his local rugby club. He secured the opportunity with the help of analysis completed using pen and paper. 

Now Brewer has a placement as a performance analyst with the Loughborough Lightning rugby squad, where he produces interactive visualisations to inform strategy, training and recruitment. Some of these dashboards include links to video footage within Hudl, helping teams make the connection between the numbers and what’s happening on the pitch. 

From the classroom to rewarding careers

Many former participants of the MSc in Applied Sport Performance Analysis are now using their data and visualisation skills in new roles within elite sports. Ninety-seven per cent of MSc in Applied Sport Performance Analysis graduates from Loughborough University are now working in elite sports, with 36 students progressing into roles within elite sports over the last two years alone. “I’m not surprised by how well our students have done as they have been fantastic,” says Barron. “However, it’s exciting to see just how quickly they are progressing to high-profile teams within elite sports across the globe.”

Advance your students’ data skills and help them achieve success in their chosen field. Get started by visiting Tableau Academic Programmes. In addition to ready-made curricula and free learning resources, you can also learn how to access free Tableau licenses for instructors. 

Image credit: Loughborough University