Talent Evaluation
Studies conducted at Indiana University USA (not published) revealed that it is possible to accurately predict performance in selected track and field events using simple tests.
Objectives
To assist coaches in recognising young athletes' potential and predicting their performance in selected track and field events. The performance tests and calculations are detailed in Rogers (2000)[1]. The following are the necessary tests and analyses.
Tests
The basic tests are undertaken in the order given:
- Male Athletes - Standing long jump, vertical jump, five bounds and standing 30 metres
- Female Athletes - Weight, standing long jump, stride length and stride frequency
Standing Long Jump (Male & Female)
The start of the jump must be from a static position. The athlete places their feet over the edge of the sandpit. The athlete crouches, leans forward, swings their arms backwards, and then jumps horizontally as far as possible, jumping with both feet into the sandpit. The coach should measure from the edge of the sandpit to the nearest point of contact. Two trials are performed, and the best performance is used in the calculations. The result is to be in metres.
Vertical Jump (Male)
The athlete chalks the end of his fingertips, stands side onto the wall, keeps both feet on the ground, reaches up as high as possible with one hand and marks the wall with the fingers' tips (M1). The athlete jumps as high as possible from a static position and marks the wall with the chalk on his fingertips (M2). The coach then measures the distance from M1 to M2. The result is to be in metres. Two trials are performed, and the best performance is used in the calculations.
Five Bounds for Distance (Male)
From a stationary position with both feet, the athlete executes four bounds and a jump into the sandpit. Measurements are made from the start point to the landing point nearest the starting line. Two trials are performed, and the best performance is used in the calculations. The result is to be in metres.
Standing 30 metres (Male)
From a standing start, the athlete runs 30 metres. Two trials are performed, and the fastest time is used in the calculations. The result is to be in seconds.
Stride Frequency (Female)
From a standing start, the athlete runs 60 metres. The time is recorded for the athlete to complete 30 and 60 metres. The number of strides taken from 30 metres to 60 metres is recorded. The number of strides is divided by the time for the last 30 metres (60 metres time minus the 30 metres time) to give stride frequency. The result is to be strides/second.
Stride Length (Female)
From a standing start, the athlete runs 60 metres. The number of strides taken from 30 metres to 60 metres is recorded. The number of strides is divided by 30 to give stride length. The result is to be in metres.
Weight (Female)
Wearing running clothes and no shoes measures the athlete's weight. The result is to be in pounds.
Free Calculator
- Talent Calculator - a free Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that you can download and use on your computer.
References
- ROGERS, L. (2000) USA Track and Field Coaching Manual. Leeds: Human Kinetics
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- MACKENZIE, B. (2003) Talent Evaluation [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/talent.htm [Accessed