Assessing Soccer Physical Fitness

There's a saying: Before you choose which direction to go, you first need to know where you are. That's the purpose of this chapter—to determine where you are in your journey toward soccer fitness. Only then can you set sensible fitness goals and use the exercises and drills throughout this book to achieve those goals. Certainly, observing or self-assessing soccer performance during practices and competition is useful, but to gather objective fitness information that you can act on, you must evaluate through testing.
Using this chapter, athletes and their coaches can test fitness to identify strengths and weaknesses that may affect performance. If possible, conduct baseline fitness tests at the start of the season, with checks at the midpoint and end of each competitive season. This will help you identify any dropoff in fitness that could erode performance on the field. The goal is to make regular testing easy to integrate into busy competition schedules so it is a key part of your comprehensive training plan.
Assessment results are not only valuable in predicting performance on the field, but also strong motivators for athletes to improve fitness. For this reason, coaches should share these results with their players. Through the years, I have seen many test batteries used to evaluate fitness—some useful and some less so. To judge the reliability of any test in jump-starting success on the field, answer the following questions:

• Does the test measure what it's supposed to? The tests you select should give you the basic information you are seeking- Measuring a standing broad jump will quickly tell you if your lower body has explosive strength, whereas the 20-yard shuttle run will measure quickness in a flash. If the test is not giving you the expected information, make sure the test, the testing environment, and testing protocols being executed are appropriate.
• Will you be able to perform the test consistently? To accurately compare and judge results, you must be able to perform the test the same way every time. Be conscious of timing methods, testing surfaces, type of shoes, and weather.
• Is the test simple and clear? The test should be easy to arrange and administer and have concise instructions.
• Why are you testing? Pinpoint your decision to evaluate. Whether your plan is to measure general fitness or specific skills or to check progress, customize your battery of tests to fit your personal needs.

Anson Dorrance, the legendary women's soccer coach at the University of North Carolina, believes in evaluating and ranking everything his team does—even practice drills. By doing so, he has been able to systematically improve the performance of his players, leading to championship results on the field. His assessment program is tailored to the program's particular needs. Likewise, for your assessment plan to meet your personal goals and fit within your training plan, it should meet your specific needs. For example, if you feel you are losing a step when you try to sprint past your opponent, evaluate your acceleration through the 30-meter sprint test to find any flaws (you would look at the time of your first 10 meters to evaluate your starting speed).

When organizing your test battery, follow these steps:

1. Understand and list the fitness demands of soccer.
2. Choose the tests that can evaluate these demands.
3. List the tests in the order they should be performed. This should be based on which tests will make the most muscular demands. For example, the test requiring the most endurance should be performed last.
4. Decide when to test. This will depend on your current phase of training or competition.
5. Perform the tests.
6. Collect and analyze scores with a coach or fitness trainer.
7. Use analyzed information to develop or adapt your training plan.

Table 2.1 shows a sample of a test battery I like to use to gather information on a soccer player's total fitness profile. This sample battery shows the most appropriate number of tests to execute as well as test descriptions and how each test relates to the game of soccer. Instructions for these tests are given in this chapter, along with other tests to choose from. 

Table 2.1   Sample Fitness Test Battery

Test	Target fitness area	Soccer application
7-by-30-meter sprint test	Acceleration, anaerobic endurance, sprint efficiency	Sprint quality and recovery
Beep test	Anaerobic endurance	Sprint quality late in the game
Countermovement vertical jump test	Lower-body power, core strength, coordination	Kicking, sprinting, heading, cutting
Illinois agility test	Acceleration, agility	Cutting ability, body control, change of direction
Myrland hurdle under test	Dynamic flexibility, core strength	Dynamic balance, strength, range of motion
Total-body power throw with medicine ball	Total-body power	Explosive movements during competition

 

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