An Era of Big Data - Applied Math

A woman took her child to a famous guru, asking the teacher to help him to stop eating sugar. The guru informed the woman that she and her son must return in two weeks. Grudgingly, the woman agreed. In two weeks, they returned and got a strong recommendation to stop eating sugar. After her son had left, the woman asked why they had to endure the delay. The guru replied, "because two weeks ago, I was eating sugar."

My friend Ralph Labella and I have coached basketball for years, and a lot has changed. The lesson above teaches us that to change the world, you must first change yourself. 

Higher level basketball has become a data-driven challenge. Teams, coaches, and players use objective statistics - performance ratings, points per possession, rebounding percentage and more - to improve their chance at succeeding. 

In most businesses, we use analytics to change behavior - and outcome. Chances are that your advertising circular comes to you with unique promotions based on your prior purchases. Retailers seek 'high value' consumers who buy food, diapers, clothing, electronics, and so forth based on their shopping patterns. They assign customers unique identifiers to get that data and they use it, relentlessly. 

In basketball, we can use offensive and defensive metrics to measure the root causes of our success or failure. Do we shoot poorly, turn the ball over too much, surrender too many offensive rebounds, take too few free throws, and commit unnecessary fouls? 

But having data (smart, measurable, accurate, reproducible, timely) isn't enough. Data drives your process, the drills (or business or community strategy) needed to do more of what works and less of what doesn't. Then, by monitoring and revising our plan, we hone in on our (many) need areas.  We lack the hours needed for great shooting coaching, including free throws, because although we spend about two-thirds of our time on fundamentals, we also teach players to "see the game". 

We never have 'enough' practice time, but thanks to great middle school supporters like Frank Olivieri and our basketball families (parents and players), we've been fortunate to get more time. Does it work?

Recently our players had a chance to play one of the top teams North of Boston, a team which had not scheduled us because they only wanted to play "competitive" teams. The girls practiced exceptionally well and not only competed but defeated the team which had dismissed them. 

All 'experience' is not equal. Players mature and develop at different rates. But those who ignore the influence and "cultural literacy" of big data will lag behind the early adopters who blend traditional approaches with current advances. 

Like the mythical Colonel Nathan Jessup, I ask whether we are prepared to handle the truth about change and honor and loyalty. Data drives process. Process drives outcome. I am not drinking the Kool-Aid about life giving everyone a trophy. Pasteur noted, "chance favors the prepared mind." We are not prepared to accept the status quo or mediocrity for our players in the classroom or on the court.