Reliability of coaches hand-timing during swimming training : a structured intervention for coaches

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to (i) determine the current accuracy and reliability of coaches’ hand-timing (HT) during swimming training against electronic timing (ET) during a 15 meters (m) swim, and to (ii) determine if a structured intervention is able to improve reliability within and between coaches. This study consists of three parts, a pre-intervention testing, a post-intervention testing one week after and two weeks post-intervention retention test. During each testing sessions, the coaches timed one swimmer at each time, at the same time. Two swimmers were selected by the coaches as part of their warm-up. Current HT of coaches showed very high correlation (0.94 <r < 0.99, p<0.001) to ET. Post-intervention HT of coaches were closer to one another, closer to ET and more consistent (average of differences range: -0.11 to -0.19; standard deviation range: 0.07 to 0.12; root mean square error range: 0.13 to 0.19) compared to pre-intervention (average of differences range: -0.03 to -0.29; standard deviation range: 0.15 to 0.22; root mean square error range: 0.22-0.36). However, retention testing HT of coaches were further from further from ET and from each other although more consistent (average of difference range: -0.27 to -0.41; standard deviation range 0.07-0.11; root mean square error range: 0.28 to 0.41). It was concluded that although coaches’ current HT are reliable, the intervention could be effective in improving HT reliability and accuracy within and between coaches with consistent and diligent practice. Keywords: Reliability, swimming, electronic timing, performance