Academy Fitness Testing U13-U19 Age Groups, Thursday 25th May 2017

Following numerous seasons using the Nike Sparq testing at the academy, we have progressed our conditioning program for the 2017/18 campaign, which will begin this coming Thursday 25th May with all tests taking place at The Quay 3G.

The reasoning for fitness testing at our club is for the following reasons:

• to identify areas of physical work needed for each player
• identify the strengths and maybe weaknesses of our current conditioning program
• testing process to be used a motivator for players to strive and progress individually over the season.

As all are well aware the modern football game is more physically demanding than ever and players have to strive continuously to be the best athletes possible.

We are trying to create an environment and mind set that players will strive to be the best athletes they can be in the way they eat, rest, train and develop physically as athletes.

Our fitness tests taking place on Thursday will see all players go through a series of four physical tests including:

1 - 30:15 (adaptation of the yo yo test) - SPEED ENDURANCE

2 - 20m Sprint - SPEED

3 - 505 Agility - AGILITY

4 - Counter Movement Jump - POWER

These four tests are very simple and will give all players scores in each field.

These four physical components are what we as a club feel are the most important for us to test and develop in speed endurance, speed, agility and power.

All of these tests will be ran by academy sports scientist Ed Harper. All results will be given out to players the following week and players will be placed in league tables within each group also.

Our key to the testing over the season is to identify players improvement and continued development.

It is not about who if the fittest now, but more about who will be the fittest long term, and who will put in the extra work needed away from the football club training sessions to improve his personal fitness levels.

Off Season Training plan

A six week off season training program has also been put together from the football club which will be given to all U13-U19 players Thursday evening, which is to be completed over six week period from Monday 29th May to Monday 3rd July when teams return for pre season.

Players will be re tested on Thursday 7th July when they return for pre season and also on Thursday 31st August at the end of pre season.

Following this players at these age groups will be re tested at the October half term, Christmas half term, February half term and end of season.

These confirmed fitness tests over the season will allow us the best opportunity to monitor all players in our youth and senior phases physical development.

Fitness Testing Times - U13-U19 - Thursday 25th May 2017

Reminder we have now started the 2017/18 campaign and we are now in our new age groups. All sides are to attend in full nomads training kit and to bring trainers and moulded boots with them for the 3G.

Players are to arrive fifteen minutes prior to their allocated start times which are as follows on The Quay 3G:

U13 - 17:30
U14 - 18:00
U15 - 18:30
U16 - 19:00
U18 - 19:30
U19 - 20:00

Updated 18:50 - 2 Sep 2019 by Jay Catton