In “Marginal Gains Win Medals, Part 1”, we discussed how the analysis of seemingly trivial data can turn into huge improvements in scores. For part two, let’s look at how we pair this analysis with a performance measurement tool called Gold Medal Profiles (GMPs) in service of the Canadian Para-Dressage Team.
A long-term strategy developed in the last couple of years at Equestrian Canada (EC) has been to explore the development of GMPs for both the equine and human athletes in our sport. A GMP represents the skills and attributes of world-class athletes that have been analyzed and organized over time. The intention is to help EC identify key characteristics that contribute to a podium performance and, subsequently, areas on which an athlete can focus to achieve that medal goal.
This creation of a benchmark raises the bar for everyone in a tangible way. It goes some way to removing supposition from training and creates a type of “hard fact” by demonstrating which soft and hard skill sets need to attention. This creates an open dialogue between the athlete’s personal support team and the national team support network.
GMPs also allow EC to look at systemic issues by identifying developmental areas that could help improve skills in the longer term. In this way, GMPs assist both individual athletes and the sport overall as EC works to create an aligned sport system that helps address systemic areas of weakness, as well as creates a pathway to achieve podium performances. GMPs should go a long way to help talent identification and also to help prove some science behind improvement – winning need not be down to luck.
EC’s GMP template for humans is based on similar GMPs collected from other National Sport Organizations and has been adapted to fit equestrian sport.
The equine GMP template was developed from scratch. For para-dressage, I used my knowledge of horses I consider to be the most consistent medal-winning performers over the last 15 years. Building on the question, “What does good look like”, I asked, “What does a gold medal horse look like?”
These templates are continually evolving so that they remain fit for purpose as we start to properly integrate them into the Canadian Para-Dressage Team program. The GMPs pinpoint areas of weakness for each combination that are identified through yearly assessments completed by coaches and EC’s Integrated Support Team (IST), which includes technical personnel such as the team Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) and Mental Performance Coach (MPC). The information gathered for the GMPs is then validated with performance results and a feedback loop is created so that coaches can better understand where their athletes are at developmentally.
Both the human and equine GMP templates are comprised of five attribute sections (Environmental, Physical, Psycho-Social, Tactical, Technical) based around attributes needed to become a world-class athlete, with each section comprising of five considerations that represent the skills we see in top athletes. Each consideration is scored out of five, all adding up to an overall score and percentage.
The GMP templates for the Canadian Para-Dressage Team are as follows:
Let’s look a bit deeper into one of these considerations – an equine’s ability to travel – and how it informs the probability of success. Travel for championships can include flying and being away from home for two or three weeks at a time, all with a competition at the end of it. Therefore, it would be exceedingly difficult for a horse who does not travel well, settle or eat away from home to become a major contender for a medal.
The idea is that everyone, including the athlete, is involved with these assessments in order to fuel strengths and improve weaknesses to deliver a world-class performance. The equine GMP is a separate template linked to the athlete GMP with the idea that when coaches are trained to use the tool, they should be able to assess any horse and determine if that horse is suitable for para-dressage. We are also in the process of letting coaches use this tool as a template for talent identification.
Statistics prove that we are improving all the time but at the same time, athletes and horses are not delivering 100% scores. While no one has yet delivered 100% in a dressage test, scores of over 80% are becoming increasingly more common.
Both data analysis (as explored in “Marginal Gains Win Medals, Part 1”) and the GMPs have become the agenda for each home visit by the EC IST. The goal of this is to work with facts wherever possible for demonstrable improvements. EC is striving to quantify performance in a less subjective way and search for performance enhancements that can be achieved by anyone, as improving just a little bit will go a long way to improve the performance of everyone.
Often the initial challenge is to find the best starting place for improvement. Neither data analysis nor GMPs are designed to criticize or find fault with existing athletic performance. Rather, they create a system of self-reflection and accountability where questions are asked and everyone’s opinions are respected. Sport is never going to be an exact science, especially where horses are concerned. But developing an analytical system where everyone has trust in themselves and those around them is a step towards a healthier environment and high performance culture from which both individuals and the Canadian Para-Dressage Team can achieve more.
Sincerely,
Clive Milkins
Para-Dressage High Performance Program Technical Advisor
EC/NCCP certified High Performance 1 Dressage Coach