Recognizing Talent

Recognizing Talent

Character

The evaluation of character is not as simple good or bad, and it cannot be defined from looking at just one aspect of a potential draftee, or signee. Instead there are several aspects of character that must be defined for each individual we evaluate.

Patterns of behavior are an excellent way to gain insight into the true character of a prospect. Patterns of behavior can be positive or negative, but it is up to us as evaluators to understand the depth of the pattern within each prospect. As we look at the history of an athlete we learn more about their patterns of behavior, and we learn about their true character. A simple example of a negative pattern would be criminal activity, but just because one has been involved in something illegal doesn’t mean they are unworthy, it could mean several different things, and needs to be looked at from a greater perspective. Did they make a big mistake once? How has it impacted their life? Did their life truly change after the event? Are they willing to change now?
All of these things could help us understand that this person has good character, and people live and learn.

On the other hand, was this one event among many? Do they show a consistent pattern of poor decision making? Did any of this change their life perspective? By answering these questions we can begin to gain insight into the character of an individual.

Positive patterns of behavior can also provide great insight into a prospects potential on and off the field. What organizations were they involved with throughout their lives? Were they consistently held in high regard by teammates? The answers here could show positive patterns of behavior and the potential for good character.

Patterns of behavior give us the insight into the character of individual prospects and will help in the development of a character profiles for each person evaluated.

There are several other aspects that evaluators must consider when evaluating character. What is the prospects value system? What is their athletic character? Does the prospect consistently show their ability to focus, concentrate, and commit to their sport? Do they have the on-field character that transcends the situation?

Though it impossible to be 100% accurate when judging the character of a potential athlete, the evaluation process at Encompass Areté ensures you are making the best possible decisions you can make for the future of your organization.

Athletic Ability

There are several components of athletic ability that personnel evaluators must take into consideration when scouting prospective players. There is zero doubt that athletic ability is a key component of achieving success as a professional athlete, and athletic ability must be looked at in several ways. Each of the below areas are dissected by Encompass Areté in order to make a sound evaluation of a potential athlete. The ways in which the following are measured and interpreted has a dramatic impact on true athletic potential, and Encompass Areté has the background to properly analyze all facets of measureable athletic performance.

Measurable components:

Scouts need insight on a player’s explosiveness, strength, power, agility and speed. There are fairly standard ways that each pro sport currently measures athletic potential, but none of them are perfect. If they were the “bust rate” would be significantly lower.

Neuromuscular Response:

Athletes must perform a wide variety of tasks in a short amount of time, and must do them with both speed and accuracy. How well is their body trained for this performance? This requires research and analysis of reaction times, fluidity and consistency of movements, and possibility of future improvement.

Body control:

There is a reason that certain athletes are able run better routes on a football field, they have better control of their bodies. Speed and agility factor in, but are they controlling their body appropriately? Is their footwork giving them the ability to be their best, or is it slowing them down on the field? Does the athlete have room to adapt and improve?

Vision:

What does the athlete see when playing? Are they seeing the entire playing field? How quickly are they diagnosing the action around them, and responding to it? Vision plays an important role in an athlete’s performance and there are measureable ways to determine how well an athlete sees the playing surface.

On field ability

Film Interpretation gives us great perspective of a player’s on field ability, and it offers insight into a player’s game intelligence. By analyzing film we gain some of the most valuable information about a given athlete. We learn their footwork, their strengths, their weaknesses, and their field character. We also see all of the athletic ability measures in action.

When we see footwork on game film, we can breakdown the player’s ability to control their body, and make the right moves at all times. In professional sport, one false step can be the difference between winning and losing.

We learn strengths and weaknesses giving us insight on a player’s ability to read plays and make the appropriate adjustments. Additionally, we can learn whether a player’s weaknesses are due to a weakness with the scheme, or the player himself.

Analysis of field character allows us to learn how a player’s emotion and effort change depending on situation. Does the prospect play at a high level regardless of the score? Does the player take plays or, or is he a loaf in certain situations? These questions allow us to interpret a player’s ability to maintain focus in all situations.

Psychology

At the professional level, a good percentage of prospects have all of the athletic tools, but still fail to make a roster. This could be for a variety of reasons, but psychology is high on the list.

An evaluator must use all of the information at their disposal to make sound determinations of how a player will fit within their organization. Understanding an athlete’s mind is the most basic way to make this determination.

Recognizing Talent

This page is intentionally shortened. Please contact Encompass Areté for more information regarding scouting, consulting, or other needs as it relates to professional athletics.

Recognizing Talent is a complex process, measuring a wide variety of variables from every possible angle. Through qualitative and quantitative measures Encompass Areté provides an unbiased perspective on the athletes you are evaluating.