A framework for test measurement selection in athlete physical preparation.

Preparing athletes for competition requires the diagnosis and monitoring of relevant physical qualities (e.g., strength, power, speed, endurance characteristics). Decisions regarding test selection that attempt to measure these physical attributes are fundamental to the training process yet are complicated by the myriad of tests and measurements available. This article presents an evidenced based process to inform test measurement selection for the physical preparation of athletes. We describe a method for incorporating multiple layers of validity to link test measurement to competition outcome. This is followed by a framework by which to evaluate the suitability of test measurements based on contemporary validity theory that considers technical, decision-making, and organisational factors. Example applications of the framework are described to demonstrate its utility in different settings. The systems presented here will assist in distilling the range of measurements available into those most likely to have the greatest impact on competition performance.

Challenges and considerations in determining the quality of electronic performance & tracking systems for team sports.

Electronic performance & tracking systems (EPTS) are commonly used to track the location and velocity of athletes in many team sports. A range of associated applications using the derived data exist, such as assessment of athlete characteristics, informing training design, assisting match adjudication and providing fan insights for broadcast. Consequently the quality of such systems is of importance to a range of stakeholders. The influence of both systematic and methodological factors such as hardware, software settings, sample rate and filtering on this resulting quality is non-trivial. Highlighting these allows for the user to understand their strengths and limitations in various decision-making processes, as well as identify areas for research and development. In this paper, a number of challenges and considerations relating to the determination of EPTS validity for team sport are outlined and discussed. The aim of this paper is to draw attention of these factors to both researchers and practitioners looking to inform their decision-making in the EPTS area. Addressing some of the posited considerations in future work may represent best practice; others may require further investigation, have multiple potential solutions or currently be intractable.

Classification of Players Across the Australian Rules Football Participation Pathway Based on Physical Characteristics.

ABSTRACT: Haycraft, JAZ, Kovalchik, S, Pyne, DB, and Robertson, S. Classification of players across the Australian Rules football participation pathway based on physical characteristics. J Strength Cond Res 36(3): 702-709, 2022-This study investigated the utility of physical fitness and movement ability tests to differentiate and classify players into Australian Football League (AFL) participation pathway levels. Players (n = 293, age 10.9-19.1 years) completed the following tests; 5-m, 10-m, and 20-m sprint, AFL planned agility, vertical jump (VJ), running VJ, 20-m multistage fitness test (MSFT), and athletic ability assessment. A multivariate analysis of variance between AFL participation pathway levels was conducted, and a classification tree determined the extent to which players could be allocated to relevant levels. The magnitude of differences between physical fitness and movement ability were level-dependent, with the largest standardized effect size (ES) between Local U12, Local U14, and older levels for most physical fitness tests (ES: -4.64 to 5.02), except the 5-m and 10-m sprint. The 20-m, 5-m, AFL agility, 20-m MSFT, overhead squat, and running VJ (right) contributed to the classification model, with 57% overall accuracy reported (43% under cross-validation). National U16 players were easiest to classify (87%), while National U18 players were most difficult (0%). Physical fitness tests do not seem to differentiate between players after selection into AFL talent pathway levels. Other attributes (i.e., skill, psychological, and sociocultural) should be prioritized over physical fitness and movement attributes by selectors/coaches when considering selection of talented players.

Physical and Anthropometric Characteristics Do Not Differ According to Birth Year Quartile in High-Level Junior Australian Football Players.

The aim of this study was to explore differences in the physical fitness and anthropometric profiles between birth year quartiles of players attending the Australian Football League (AFL) National Draft Combine. Date of birth, anthropometric, 20 m sprint, vertical and running vertical jump, AFL planned agility, and 20 m Multi-Stage Fitness Test (MSFT) data were obtained for players selected to attend the Combine between 1999 and 2019 (n = 1549; Mage = 18.1; SDage = 0.3). The underlying density distributions of the data were visually explored using violin plots overlaid with box and whisker plots. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was then used to model the main effect of birth quartile (four levels) on the physical and anthropometric scores. Results showed that physical and anthropometric test scores did not significantly differ according to birth quartile (V = 0.008, F = 0.880, p = 0.631). We conclude that the physical and anthropometric profiles of high-level junior Australian Football players were similar according to birth year quartile across the modeled period. Therefore, how players utilize their physical and anthropometric attributes during game-play via contextualized, representative assessments, such as small-sided games, should be considered when examining potential causes of a RAE.

Combine performance, draft position and playing position are poor predictors of player career outcomes in the Australian Football League.

Physical testing-based draft combines are undertaken across various sporting codes to inform talent selection. To determine the explanatory power of the Australian football league (AFL) draft combine, participants drafted between 1999-2016 (n = 1488) were assessed. Testing performance, draft selection order and playing position, AFL matches played, AFL player ranking points and AFL player rating points were collected as career outcomes. Boosted regression tree analysis revealed that position and draft selection order were the most explanatory variables of career outcomes. Linear modelling based on testing results is able to explain 4% of matches played and 3% of in-game performance measures. Each individual combine test explained <2% of the matches played outcome. Draft selection order demonstrated mixed results for career outcomes relative to playing position. For instance, key forwards and draft selection order were observed as a slight negative relationship using the AFL Player Ranking points career outcome measure. These findings indicate that the AFL draft combine is a poor measure for informing talent selection, thus providing minimal utility for the practices investigated in this study.

Mixed versus Focused Resistance Training during an Australian Football Pre-Season.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of a focused versus mixed-methods strength-power training plan on athletes undertaking high volumes of concurrent training. Fourteen junior elite male Australian football players were randomly assigned into either the focused or mixed group. Both training groups undertook a sequenced training intervention consisting of a four-week mesocycle emphasising heavy strength followed by a four-week mesocycle of high velocity emphasis. Training differed between groups by way of the degree of emphasis placed on the targeted attribute in each cycle and occurred during the preseason. Testing occurred pre- and post-training and consisted of the unloaded and loaded (+20 kg) countermovement jump (CMJ). Focused training elicited practical (non-trivial) improvements in flight time to contraction ratio (FT:CT) (g = 0.45, ±90% confidence interval 0.49) underpinned by a small reduction in contraction time (g = -0.46, ±0.45) and a small increase in braking (g = 0.36, ±0.42) and concentric phase mean force (g = 0.22, ±0.39). Conversely, the mixed group demonstrated an unchanged FT:CT (g = -0.13, ±0.56). Similar respective changes occurred in the loaded condition. Preferential improvements in FT:CT occur when a greater focus is placed on a targeted physical quality in a sequenced training plan of junior elite Australian football players during preseason training.

Relationships Between Physical Testing and Match Activity Profiles Across the Australian Football League Participation Pathway.

Purpose: To establish levels of association between physical fitness and match activity profiles of players in the Australian Football League (AFL) participation pathway. Methods: Players (N = 287, range 10.9-19.1 y) were assessed on 20-m sprint, AFL agility, vertical jump and running vertical jump, 20-m multistage fitness test (MSFT), and Athletic Abilities Assessment. Match activity profiles were obtained from global positioning system measures: relative speed, maximal velocity, and relative high-speed running. Results: Correlational analyses revealed moderate relationships between sprint (r = .32-.57, P ≤ .05) and jump test scores (r = .34-.78, P ≤ .05) and match activity profiles in Local U12, Local U14, National U16, and National U18s, except jump tests in National U18s. AFL agility was also moderate to strongly associated in Local U12, Local U14, Local U18, and National U16s (r = .37-.87, P ≤ .05) and strongly associated with relative speed in Local U18s (r = .84, P ≤ .05). Match relative speed and high-speed running were moderate to strongly associated with 20-m MSFT in Local U14, Local U18, and National U18s (r = .41-.95, P ≤ .05) and Athletic Abilities Assessment in Local U12 and Local U18s (r = .35-.67, P ≤ .05). Match activity profile demands increased between Local U12 and National U16s, then plateaued. Conclusions: Physical fitness relates more strongly to match activity profiles in younger adolescent and national-level players. Recruiters should consider adolescent physical fitness and match activity profiles as dynamic across the AFL participation pathway.

The influence of age-policy changes on the relative age effect across the Australian Rules football talent pathway.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the influence of age-policy changes on the relative age effect (RAE) across the Australian Football League (AFL) talent pathway. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of junior AFL players attending the National Draft (National), State, and State Under 16s (U16) combines between 1999-2016. METHODS: Birth-date data was obtained for players attending the AFL State U16 (n=663, age: 15.9±0.4years), State (n=803, age: 19.1±1.7years), National (n=1111, age: 18.3±0.8years) combines. Corresponding aged-matched Australian general population birth rate data was also collected. RESULTS: A chi-squared analysis comparing birth month distributions found all combine groups differed significantly from the general population (Under 16s: χ2=62.61, State: χ2=38.83, National: χ2=129.13, p<0.001). Specifically, Under 16s had greater birth frequencies for months January to March (≥2%, p<0.05), with more State players born in January (4.9%, p<0.05). Age-policy changes at the National level reduced birth distribution bias for some months, however the RAE remained for March, June and July (3.9%, 6.1%, 4.3%, p<0.05). State U16s and National players had 2-9% lower birth frequencies for November-December births compared general population. CONCLUSIONS: Selection bias exists towards older players is present at the AFL's State U16, and is maintained at State and National level combines. Age-policy changes are only partially successful at addressing the RAE at the National level, with alternative strategies also recommended in order to address the RAE across the AFL talent pathways.

Physical characteristics of players within the Australian Football League participation pathways: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Australian football (AF) players require endurance, strength, speed, and agility to be successful. Tests assessing physical characteristics are commonly used for talent identification; however, their ability to differentiate between players across the Australian Football League's (AFL) participation pathway remains unclear. The objective of this review was to quantify the physical characteristics of male AF players across the AFL participation pathway. METHODS: A search of databases was undertaken. Studies examining tests of physical performance were included, with 27 meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Study appraisal was conducted using a checklist of selection criteria. RESULTS: The 20-m sprint time was the most reported test, followed by vertical jump (VJ), AFL planned agility, and 20-m multi-stage fitness test (MSFT). The fastest times for 20-m sprint were for Elite AFL players (range 2.94-3.13 s), with local-level players the slowest (3.22-4.06 s). State Junior Under (U) 18s (58-66 cm) had higher jumps than senior players, with the lowest jumps reported for Local U10s (mean 31 cm). No elite-level data were reported for the AFL planned agility or 20-m MSFT. AFL planned agility times were only reported for talent pathway levels, with large performance variability evident across all levels (8.17-9.12 s). Only mean 20-m MSFT scores were reported from Local U10s to National Draft Camp (6.10-13.50 shuttles). CONCLUSIONS: Talent pathway players exhibit similar mean test scores irrespective of the physical test, with the exception of 20-m sprint and VJ. Physical tests can discriminate between local participation level players but are less useful within the AFL talent pathway.