Profiling tool for YMCA Heinola baskeball club to assess athlete's physical qualities
Hahtokari, Helena; Virtanen, Emma (2020)
2020
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202004165161
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202004165161
Tiivistelmä
Basketball is a growing sport in Finland. The number of licensed players has increased in the past years. Game of basketball has become faster in the past decade and it requires a player to have versatile physical qualities. Physical characteristics and physiological performance are significant factors in defining success in basketball. Movement patterns in basketball are versatile. In a basketball game a player must accelerate, decelerate and change direction quickly. In order to win the possession of the ball a player must be able to jump high and fight for the ball using body and being physical.
The amount of youth athletes who are doing competitive sports is increasing and thus coaches need new tools to keep athletes motivated to reach their potential. Profiling helps the athlete to understand where in the physical development one is at the moment and to see whether results are improving or not.
The primary aim of this thesis was to build a profiling tool for YMCA Heinola to assess youth basketball players’ physical qualities. The secondary goal was to build a test manual to the coaches that includes information on the testing, specific tests and how to use the profiling tool in coaching.
YMCA Heinola is a youth basketball club in Heinola county in Finland offering players a safe growing environment as an athlete and an adoslescent. Yet they want to provide a platform in which players can practice and play competitively and reach their full potential. Profiling tool is made for the club but is targeted to be used in talent-group which is formed by 12-16 basketball talents who are from 13 to 18 years old.
Eight tests chosen for YMCA Heinola physical skill tests are antropometric, overhead squat, vertical jump, T-test, 20-meter sprint, 3RM squat and bench press, plank, and YoYo level 1. Tests were chosen to be suitable for the YMCA Heinola environment. Time management factors were taken into consideration when selecting tests. There are several considerations when it comes to testing young athletes. At the age of 13 to 18, the body is going through an ongoing change and the physical qualities are developing all the time. Some players are developing faster than others and that is important to keep in mind when testing.
Project planning started in the spring 2018 by meeting with the YMCA Heinola’s executive director. With the first draft of the profiling tool, a test day was held in YMCA training center in the spring 2019. Five coaches from the club took part and learnt how to use the profiling tool and run the tests. The club has since started using the manual and profiling tool to test the players and improve their training.
The amount of youth athletes who are doing competitive sports is increasing and thus coaches need new tools to keep athletes motivated to reach their potential. Profiling helps the athlete to understand where in the physical development one is at the moment and to see whether results are improving or not.
The primary aim of this thesis was to build a profiling tool for YMCA Heinola to assess youth basketball players’ physical qualities. The secondary goal was to build a test manual to the coaches that includes information on the testing, specific tests and how to use the profiling tool in coaching.
YMCA Heinola is a youth basketball club in Heinola county in Finland offering players a safe growing environment as an athlete and an adoslescent. Yet they want to provide a platform in which players can practice and play competitively and reach their full potential. Profiling tool is made for the club but is targeted to be used in talent-group which is formed by 12-16 basketball talents who are from 13 to 18 years old.
Eight tests chosen for YMCA Heinola physical skill tests are antropometric, overhead squat, vertical jump, T-test, 20-meter sprint, 3RM squat and bench press, plank, and YoYo level 1. Tests were chosen to be suitable for the YMCA Heinola environment. Time management factors were taken into consideration when selecting tests. There are several considerations when it comes to testing young athletes. At the age of 13 to 18, the body is going through an ongoing change and the physical qualities are developing all the time. Some players are developing faster than others and that is important to keep in mind when testing.
Project planning started in the spring 2018 by meeting with the YMCA Heinola’s executive director. With the first draft of the profiling tool, a test day was held in YMCA training center in the spring 2019. Five coaches from the club took part and learnt how to use the profiling tool and run the tests. The club has since started using the manual and profiling tool to test the players and improve their training.