The mere mention of the word TEST is enough to make even the
most prepared student a little anxious and nervous. In the world of sports
there are plenty of ways to quantify an athletes standing using tests that
measure performance qualities like speed (40-yard dash), power (vertical jump),
strength (Maximum dead-lift) and endurance (1-mile run). The results can be
useful as far as comparing one athlete’s results against those of other
competitors within their sport. That said it is extremely important that the test
be relevant to the sport in question and even more specifically a certain
position within that sport. For example the 1-mile run for a football player
really won’t tell you much about their ability to perform well in that sport
but measures of speed and strength are definitely relevant.
Testing can also be useful to measure progress for an
individual athlete not only to monitor their progress but also to provide
coaches with quantifiable data that lets them evaluate the effectiveness of
their program. If a coach thinks his team needs to improve their speed and he
focuses his training on that quality he should measure periodically to find out
if indeed the team is getting faster. If they are getting faster but it hasn’t
helped improve on field-performance it’s time to reevaluate team needs. The
data has demonstrated that speed was likely not the limiting factor in team
performance and rather than beating his head against the wall wondering why the
team isn’t improving the coach now has data that tells him he may need to look
at other performance qualities.
Testing results can also let athletes know where they stand
in relation to the top competitors within their sport. If all of the best
running backs in the NFL run a 4.4 40-yard dash, vertical jump 36 inches and
bench press 225 pounds 25 times then you have decent idea of where you need to
be from a physical standpoint to become on of the top running backs. Here is
where things can get interesting though there is no correlation between top
testing performances and elite athletes in sports. At the annual NFL scouting
combine they test everything and evaluate the athletes with an extremely
critical eye while collecting a ton of data on the athletes. And inevitably it
doesn’t mean a thing!
The most important ingredient required for becoming a great
athlete can’t be quantified with data or even the most seasoned scouting
eye. The most important element of
success in sports is intrinsic motivation! The individual’s ability to
consistently grind and compete in an all out effort to master the limits
imposed by their craft/sport and their physical and mental self. The will to compete and improve is vital
and you have to want what it is that you are working for more than anyone else.
Parents, coaches, teammates can push you all they want but without the desire
and will to be your best their efforts will only lead to frustration for all
involved.
So should we ever test, even academically? Of course,
because it can be useful but we can’t put all of our eggs in that basket
because what does it really measure? Who designs the test and what are they
looking for? I am not going tackle a societal issue here but we always hear
that America is falling behind the rest of the globe in-terms of ingenuity and
academics. Maybe it’s time for some folks to turn a critical eye toward their
tests and find out if what they measure actually means anything. For a more thorough vetting of this
issue I highly recommend this read:
So why not use tests to show off certain qualities rather
than using the test to dictate what qualities we should be looking to improve.
We should use tests to celebrate kids, an opportunity for them to show their
stuff!
In my athletic development programs I have put together a testing
and promotion system similar to that of the belts system in Martial Arts. It is
based upon chronological age and developmental age. At 17 years-old kids are able to express skills that remain
very elusive for a 12 year-old who is able to demonstrate skills that would be
elusive to the still relatively raw 7 year-old. At each stage of development what would you like to see from
the child?
For a 7 year-old I want to see if they posses the basics
such as coordination and rhythm, a skip would be a worthwhile exercise. For the
12 year-old I want to see if they use their coordination in a more refined way.
I may ask them to stand on their right foot reach for a ball on the ground with
their left hand and toss the ball toward a target in front of them. The
17year-old I would like to see them express their coordination with strength
and explosiveness. I may have them run backwards toss a ball to them that they
must jump high to catch and upon landing sprint with the ball to a cone.
I know when a child is doing well and is ready for the next
step in their development and using tests as a “carrot” or as motivational tool
to improve is something with merit. When an athlete has consistently
demonstrated in their training that they have “owned” certain skills I will
come up with 5-6 exercises that will allow them to show-off their recently
refined skills. I will then hold a testing and promotion event that includes
parents, relatives, friends and other athletes from the program some of whom
may be quite a bit younger or quite a bit older. This is excellent for positive
role modeling, it provides the older kids with a platform to be a leader and
the younger kids look up to them and see what they can become through hard work
and dedication.
Now here is the important part, the athlete has already
passed test before they even step foot on the gym floor for the demonstration!
Why? Because they have already proven over months of training that they can
consistently perform the skills. I know they can do it so the test shouldn’t
matter. It may add an element of stress and anxiety, all the more reason to
test in this way. They eventually discover that being tested is not a big
deal. They tell themselves “I have
done this before, I’ve got this” and they are in a supportive environment that
is full of enthusiasm and energy. The young athletes grow to love and can’t
wait for the next testing day. In a sense you are developing them to be “clutch”
performers.
If I test and they don’t do well it doesn’t matter, so they
had a bad day. We should focus on the process and celebrate them for being
attentive to that. The test is just a moment in time. The real goal of the
program is to make them better over the long haul and that comes from
consistent practice and progressively challenging their boundaries when
developmentally appropriate. Commitment and dedication are the keys to success
in any endeavor let’s celebrate and test that!
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