Which is an example of a notational analysis metric used in team sports?

• A. Goals per period
• B. Player age
• C. Team color
• D. Training gear size

Answer: (A)

Notational analysis records events that happen during a game in a structured way to quantify performance. Counting goals per period exemplifies this because it captures how many times the team scores in each period, revealing scoring patterns, momentum, and pacing across the game. This kind of metric is event-based and time-segmented, which is what notational analysis focuses on. In contrast, attributes like player age or descriptive details such as team color or gear size describe characteristics rather than actions or outcomes within a match, so they do not function as notational metrics. Therefore, goals per period is the example of a notational analysis metric.