SPARQ Fastpitch Testing Protocols

The goal of the SPARQ Fastpitch Rating is to give the coach, athlete, and the trainer the tools to assess the overall athleticism of a fastpitch player with tests that are designed to reflect the specific physical demands of the game.  The SPARQ Rating is not designed nor intended as a measure of sport-specific skills or an athlete’s potential success on the diamond.  SPARQ knows that the intangible qualities of desire, hard work, teamwork and knowledge of the game all contribute to ultimate success in a complex skill sport like fastpitch. 

Before performing any of these tests, make sure the athlete practices the proper technique until she feels comfortable with the tests.  Complete a proper dynamic warm-up before beginning.

 

2 kg Power Ball: Rotational 1.0

 

Sports:

Fastpitch

 

Testing Protocol:

1. Stand perpendicular to the start line. Think of yourself standing at the plate in a hitting stance or on the mound in your pitching stance.  You may step on or touch the starting line, but no body part may be ahead of the line.
2. Cradle the Power Ball in two hands with your backhand (palm facing the start line) on the back of the ball and your front hand under the ball.
3. Draw the Power Ball back, keeping the Power Ball between your waist and chest.  Your backhand should not come above chest height.  Unlike a real batting form, keep your arms fully extended with only a slight bend in your elbows.
4. In one fluid motion, with your arms fully extended and supporting the ball, laterally rotate your body as you sling the Power Ball out and forward (optimally at a 45 degree angle).  As you rotate, your body will simulate a bat swing, beginning with the drop of your front heel and continuing through as you rotate your core from the waist up.
5. Finish with your arms extended and high, with the release point tracking as if you were hitting a ball up the middle.
6. If the Power Ball does not track straight out, adjust your release and follow through just as you would if you had pushed or pulled a hit in a game.
7. Following through over the line is acceptable, but your feet should not step in front of the start line until the Power Ball is released.

 

Measure:

In this test, the athlete throws a Power Ball across the chest for maximum distance.  The rotational throw is an excellent measure of core strength and total body power and simulates the rotational core movement common to fastpitch.

 

Equipment:

2 kg Power Ball

Measuring tape

 

Environment:

Preferably on a track, turf, or grass surface that is clean and/or unobstructed.
 

How to Measure:

It is best to perform this test on a soft surface such as grass or turf.  Record the point where the Power Ball hits the ground closest to the start line.  The distance should be measure in feet and rounded to the nearest foot (for example, a throw of 35 feet, 7 inches should be recorded as 36 feet). The athlete makes three throws, with the best attempt recorded.

 

Disqualification:

Individual throws are disqualified (not counted) if athlete: (1) steps over line prior to releasing the Power Ball; or  (2) throws the Power Ball with one hand.  Warn athlete after first disqualification and allow athlete to redo throw.  Any additional throws in which the athlete does not complete throw as instructed by the protocol, will result in a disqualified throw with no redo.

Vertical Jump 1.0

Sports:

Fastpitch

 

Testing Protocol:

1. Start in a stance that is most familiar to you and that you think will yield the best result. Counter movements are permitted.
2. Your arm action is critical. Start with your arms extended behind your hips. As you swing your arms out and up, explode off your power pads (balls of your feet) straight up. Make sure your arms finish extended straight above your head. If they finish out in front of you, you’re taking vertical energy and shifting it to forward energy.
3. When you explode off your power pads, make sure you transition from a flat foot.
4. When using Digital Jump Mat, you are prohibited from falsely increasing "hang time" by bending the legs on the way down. Legs should remain fully extended.
5. The athlete must jump off both feet, and stepping into the jump is NOT permitted.

 

Measure:

This test measures the explosiveness of the athlete, and is a reliable indicator of speed.

 

Equipment:

Chalk

Measuring tape

Digital Jump Mat (preferable)

 

Environment:

Preferably in a gym or with a solid ground surface. 

 

How to Measure:

Vertical jumps can be measured in a variety of ways.  Your school or gym may have a digital jump mat or other type of device to accurately measure a vertical jump. If you don’t have access to these products, measure the athlete’s vertical jump with the following method: Have the athlete chalk his or her fingertips and stand perpendicular to the wall. The athlete jumps and touches the wall at the highest point of the jump. The athlete must jump off both feet. He or she cannot step into the jump. Measure from the floor to the jump mark. Then, measure from the jump mark to the highest point the athlete can reach while standing flat-footed. The distance between these two marks is considered to be the athlete’s vertical jump.  Repeat the test three to five times and record the best of the attempts, measuring to the nearest first decimal point (for example, 32.52 inches should be recorded as 32.5 inches).

 

Disqualification:

Individual jumps are disqualified (not counted) if athlete: (1) is using Digital Jump Mat, bends knees while on the way down; or  (2) steps into the jump.  Warn athlete after first disqualification and allow athlete to redo jump.  Any additional jumps in which the athlete does not complete jump as instructed by the protocol, will result in a disqualified jump with no redo.

 

30-yard Dash 1.0

 

Sports:

Fastpitch

 

Testing Protocol:

1. Start in a base-stealing stance that is most familiar to you and that you think will yield the best time. Shoulders should be perpendicular to the starting line.
2. Counter movements are not permitted.  You may step on or touch the starting line.  You may lean across the starting line.  Hold starting stance for 2 seconds prior to start.
3. As you accelerate, keep your head down, maintain a fast stride frequency, and drive your arms and legs.
4. Make sure you run through the finish line.  The clock stops when your chest crosses the finish line.

 

Measure:

This test measures the acceleration of the athlete, and is a reliable indicator of speed, agility and quickness.

 

Equipment:

Measuring Tape

Chalk

Stopwatch or digital timing system.

 

Environment:

Preferably on a gym, track, turf, or grass surface that is clean and/or unobstructed.

 

How to Measure:

Measure 30 yards (90 feet) on a track or other hard surface.  For the most accurate time, we recommend using a digital timing system, but a stopwatch will work.  If you are using a stopwatch, the timing starts with the first movement after the set position.  Stop the clock when the athlete’s chest crosses the finish line.  The athlete runs the 30-yard Dash twice, and her best time is recorded to the nearest two decimals (for example, a time of 4.453 should be recorded as 4.45).

 

Disqualification:

Individual dashes are disqualified (not counted) if athlete: (1) is using Digital Cones, starts timer prior to starting dash; or  (2) starts dash and doesn’t compete the dash.  Warn athlete after first disqualification and allow athlete to redo dash.  Any additional dashes in which the athlete does not complete dash as instructed by the protocol, will result in a disqualified dash with no redo.

*If using Digital Cones please allow athlete to become familiar with vertical plane created by infra-red beam emitted from digital cone.

 

Shuttle 1.0

Sports:

Fastpitch

 

Testing Protocol:

1. Begin in a three-point stance, with a hand touching the ground directly in front of, and in line with the middle cone and your feet evenly straddling the line. Hold starting stance for 3 seconds prior to start.
2. Begin by breaking to the left if you left hand is touching the ground, or to the right if your right hand is touching the ground.
3. Touch with your hand the line on which the farthest cone sits.
4. Reverse direction and run to the opposite cone 10 yards away and touch that line with your hand.
5. Reverse direction again and sprint through the imaginary finish line extending from the middle cone.
6. Touch left line with left hand and touch right line with right hand.
7. Stay low and accelerate between your pivots.  Drive hard to the next cone.
8. Control your body!  Speed isn’t everything in this drill.  The ability of an athlete to get in and out of turns quickly will result in a better time.

 

Measure:

This test measures the agility of the athlete, especially body control and change of direction.

 

Equipment:

Measuring Tape

Chalk

Three cones

Stopwatch or digital timing system.

 

Environment:

Preferably on a grass, track, turf, or gym surface that is clean and/or unobstructed.

 

How to Measure:

Measure a straight line that is 10 yards long, preferably using a lined field.  Place a cone on each end of the line, and place one cone in the middle, precisely 5 yards from each end.  Beginning in the middle, the athlete moves to the left or right and must touch the line on which the first outside cone sits with the hand.  The athlete then reverses direction and passes the middle cone before moving to touch the line on which the opposite outside cone sits with the hand.  At the opposite outside cone the athlete reverses direction and runs past the middle cone.  It is not necessary to touch the actual cones, but the athlete must touch the imaginary or actual line on which the cone sits with the hand.  For the most accurate time, we recommend using a digital timing system, but a stopwatch will also work. If you are using a stopwatch, the timing starts with the first movement after the set position, and stops when the athlete crosses the line created by the middle cone.  The athlete runs this drill twice, once in each direction, and his or her best time is recorded to the nearest two decimals (for example, a time of 4.523 should be recorded as 4.52).

 

Disqualification:

Shuttle times are disqualified (not counted) if athlete: (1) fails to touch each line with a hand; or  (2) starts the shuttle and doesn’t complete the shuttle.  Warn athlete after first disqualification and allow athlete to redo the shuttle.  Any additional shuttles in which the athlete does not complete shuttle as instructed by the protocol, will result in a disqualified pass with no redo.

*If using Digital Cones please allow athlete to become familiar with the Digital Cone shuttle protocol.