Performance profile – qualities, traits and attributes

Qualities of a Performance Profile

A performance profile should be detailed, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses across a wide range of attributes.
It should be specific to the individual and their specific sport, taking into account the unique demands and skills required.
The profile should be measurable and quantifiable, enabling tracking progress and gauging improvements.
It should be as objective and unbiased as possible, gathered through a variety of methods to reduce the chances of subjective error.

Motivation: The desire and drive to train and perform, this can be both intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic (external).
Confidence: Belief in one’s own abilities, this can influence performance significantly.
Focus: The ability to maintain attention on the task at hand, ignoring distractions.
Resilience: The ability to recover quickly from setbacks, maintain belief and keep trying in the face of challenges.

Physical skills: These cover fitness components such as strength, speed, agility, endurance, and flexibility.
Technical skills: These are sport-specific skills, such as passing in football or serving in tennis.
Tactical skills: This involves game intelligence, decision making within game situations and strategies applied during competition.
Psychological characteristics: These include mental qualities like stress management, concentration, coping with pressure and anxiety.

Utilise a combination of profiling methods like observation, self-assessment, interviews and performance tests to achieve an all-encompassing profile. Each method has its strengths and limitations, so a mix will provide a more balanced analysis.
Regularly review and update the profile to track progress and changes over time. This serves to reflect the dynamic nature of sport performance, which can fluctuate due to a range of factors.
Use the profile as a guiding tool for personalised training, focusing on identified areas of improvement.
Engage the individual in the profiling process, to enhance their self-awareness and ownership of their performance and progress.
Be aware of potential bias and subjectivity, aim to keep the profiling process as objective as possible.