Post-Grant Reports

Title

Profiling the Current Youth Athlete: The Measurement and Evaluation of Athleticism in Today’s Youth

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2-15-2021

Disciplines

Exercise Science | Higher Education | Sports Sciences | Sports Studies

Abstract

The original purpose of this grant’s research was to create a standardized system of measuring and evaluating current youth levels of physical literacy and athleticism. Due to COVID-19 restrictions throughout 2020, we were unable to obtain IRB approval to test our protocols with youth athletes in the surrounding Portland-McMinnville area as we were unable to meet with large groups of youth athletes face-to-face in indoor settings to run our research protocols.

Instead, we pivoted and conducted pilot data with our Linfield varsity student-athletes due to our ability and already-invested time and energy with them through team-wide organized strength and conditioning sessions. We were able to lead 13 varsity teams through a battery of tests examining their speed, strength, stamina, and cognitive abilities. We were then able to run statistical analyses to provide individual athletic profiles for the coaches of each of the teams, providing them insight on their athletes’ physical limitations, as well as ranking on how they compare on each test across all varsity student-athletes on campus. The data collected will then be used to “trickle down” to high school and youth athletes to provide long-term tracking of quantitative athleticism as they aspire to meet athletic marks seen in NCAA Division-III athletes.

Comments

This research was conducted as part of a Linfield University Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant in 2020, funded by the Office of Academic Affairs.

The student collaborator was Natalie Amara.

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