How to Set Up and Use Graphic Descriptors

Graphic Descriptors are added to the Nacsport Button Template and are extremely easy to set up. Choose the Descriptor, add it to the template, resize and change the background colour to your preference.

At this stage, you can also add sections to the descriptor such as Attack or Defense to give every tag more depth. You can also modify the size and shape of the reference points which will be shown on the descriptor when you click on it, as well as how many reference points are shown on the Graphic Descriptor at any one time (when this number is exceeded, the oldest reference point will disappear, although it will still be present in your list of tagged actions).

Check out this video for more information on setting up your Graphic Descriptors:

Once the Graphic Descriptor has been set up, you simply click the relevant Category (for example Shot) and then where on the field this action happened, along with any other descriptor information you need. A tag will then be added to your list of actions that a shot happened and an XY coordinate which shows where it happened.

As the video explains, this is great when you want to, for example, trace the path of passes during a build up.

You’ll also see how Graphic Descriptors can be set up with Panel Flows (Pro and Elite only).

How to Use Graphic Descriptors in Timeline

Once you’ve finished the observation phase, the Graphic Descriptor information can then be used in the timeline to continue your analysis. At this stage you can:

•    Click a tag to see the position of the action on the pitch.
•    Click any reference point to show a video clip of that action.
•    Join indicators to show the path of the ball.
•    Show all the reference points on the Graphic Descriptor or a selection.
•    Show all indicators for a specific area of the pitch.
•    See occupied areas of the pitch for specific actions.
•    Export the descriptor as a jpeg or use it with KlipDraw
•    Create heatmaps (more on this later).

Check out this video tutorial which will show you how to do all of these things:

How to Create Heatmaps

Heatmaps are a powerful analytical tool, allowing you to see exactly where the action happened during a game and with what frequency. When you have all the XY data collected with Enhanced Graphic Descriptors, heatmaps are extremely easy to produce with Nacsport.

Check out this tutorial video, which will show you step-by-step how to do this:

Different Features of Graphic Descriptions Per Program

In this section, we’ll show you the different features available in every version of Nacsport. First of all, we should say that Graphic Descriptors are NOT available in Nacsport Basic or Basic+. So, let’s look at the other programs in our range and show you some examples of how Graphic Descriptors might look in your button template.

Nacsport Scout

For Scout users, the only limitations when using Graphic Descriptors are in the timeline. You can:

•    One Graphic Descriptor in your button template, using 2 of the 7 reference point shapes available.
•    Show or hide pitch areas.
•    Modify reference point sizes easily.
•    Export the image as a standalone .jpg file.

Nacsport Pro

Pro users share the same features as Scout with some added functionality, including:

•    All 7 reference point shapes.
•    Link reference points. Determine the direction, speed and distance a ball moves between consecutive points on the pitch.
•    Open the drawing tool or KlipDraw. Enhance your work with extra graphic effects.

Nacsport Elite

Nacsport Elite users have the full gamut of Graphic Descriptor tools at their disposal. This includes everything already mentioned plus:

•    Search tool. Useful for filtering areas of the pitch and seeing exactly what happened where.
•    Occupied surface area. See exactly where on the pitch the action took place. This is especially useful and will help you discover what areas your team are most competitive in.
•    Heatmaps. Spot recurring actions or areas of a pitch where your team are at their strongest or most vulnerable. This feature is also very handy for marking areas where your team passes the most, shoot from or dominate possession.

Want to Try Graphic Descriptors?

Enhanced Graphic Descriptors are a real game-changer, delivering detailed data that reveals exactly what’s happening during a game, where your team performs best and where there is space for improvement.

It opens up a new world of information with the potential to help you not just to win games, but improve your team in the long term by highlighting weak spots and pinpointing where your players are at their most effective. 

If you still have questions about this powerful analytical tool and would like to see for yourself how it could impact on your video analysis work, get in contact with us and we’ll be happy to help you out. You can contact us through our website or on any of our social media channels.

Thanks for reading!