Football SPARQ Testing
Do you have what it takes to be a football player? The SPARQ rating system was designed to measure sport-specific athleticism. The results from these tests are combined and weighted using a formula specific to football.
Note: Despite being a very popular assessment method for some time, the SPARQ business is no longer active and is not available to conduct testing and rate players.
football agility testing The SPARQ Football Rating is derived from a formula that combines results from standard measurements of the NFL football combine. There is also the SPARQ Pro Rating consisting of more specific tests, designed to take a more comprehensive look into the sources of football-specific athleticism.
On 2008, SPARQ updated their protocols for Football. The bench press test was removed and the vertical jump protocol changed. Below are the current tests, and the previous test protocols are listed too.
Football SPARQ Tests
- 40-yard dash — this sprint test measures acceleration, and is a reliable indicator of speed, agility and quickness.
- 5-10-5 Agility — also called the 20 yard or pro-agility shuttle, this is a lateral movement test that measures the agility of the athlete, especially body control and change of direction.
- Power Ball Toss — a measure of upper body strength and power
- Vertical Jump — jumping for maximum height, this test measures explosiveness, and is a reliable indicator of speed. The preferred method is using a digital jump mat.
Previous Football SPARQ Tests
Standard Tests
- 40-yard dash — this sprint test measures acceleration, and is a reliable indicator of speed, agility and quickness.
- 20 Yard Shuttle — A lateral movement test that measures the agility of the athlete, especially body control and change of direction.
- Vertical Jump — jumping for maximum height, this test measures explosiveness, and is a reliable indicator of speed. The preferred method is using a digital jump mat though other methods can be used if required.
- Bench Press — measures overall strength and power. The test records the maximum number of lifts using a 185 pound weight. The Youth Protocol uses the 2kg Power Ball Chest Launch instead of the bench press.
Pro Rating Tests
There used to be a Pro Rating SPARQ, that had these additional tests:
- Standing Broad Jump — this is a test of leg power. It is also known as the standing long jump.
- 10-yard dash — the 10 yard sprint time can be recorded by getting a split time during the 40-yard dash
- L-drill — an agility test also known as the 3-cone drill
- 5kg Power Ball throw — a measure of upper body strength and power
- vision/reaction tests — two tests, details?
Related Pages
- About the SPARQ Rating System
- Football Fitness Testing
- Poll about the fitness components for football
- NFL Combine tests and top NFL test results
- All about fitness testing
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