Data analytics infiltrating sports is no new thing; baseball, basketball and other major sports have all incorporated analytics into their decision-making processes to varying degrees.
But now, data is taking a new sport by storm: curling.
A popular sport at the Winter Olympics, curling is a bit like shuffleboard on ice.
Now, players are using data to build projection models and get an edge over opponents.
From the Toronto Star:
Curling is tailor-made for analytics. There is a sea of statistics easily accessed online and stats have become more sophisticated over the years.
At this year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts, for example, one can see on Curling Canada’s website that Homan was 82 per cent successful throwing 15 raise takeouts using an in-turn in the preliminary round.
Having someone crunch numbers to determine your team’s strengths and weaknesses, and also the opposition’s, can be a valuable tool in a game.
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Also, if the data indicates someone on the opposing team isn’t strong on a particular shot, why not force her to play it, if that is an option?
Of course, sports analytics isn’t just about using statistics that already exist; it’s also about creating your own metrics. From the Star:
But his analysis also incorporates elements that might not seem obviously measurable.
“With data, you are limited only by the questions that you ask,” he said. “What happens when you play two games and you have to play the very next morning and you’ve only had four hours of sleep? What happens when you forget to eat a proper meal?
“Data will help us see if the things we’re trying to work on are actually working.”
Just as in other sports, data in curling isn’t the end-all-be-all. But it is a critical piece of the puzzle, something that should be in the toolbox of every coach and executive.