Speed Test - 1
You can analyse your players fitness over the season with a simple SAQ (Speed, Agility, Quickness) Test.

Make sure your players have warmed up properly. Take 4/5 players from the group while the other players carry on with the coaching session. Communicate with the coach that the session he/she is coaching must be light technical work, because the test is quite intense.

Set up two cones 30 metres apart. Time each player performing full sprint from one cone to the other. Do this twice and make a note of both times.

Place a footwork ladder 10 metres away from goal. Two players stand at the side of the goal with two footballs each.
  1. First players starts with quick feet through the ladder (the coach decides the steps to take).
  2. Player goes past the centre of the ladder (mark with cone) and comes back. Player A passes the ball to player 1 who shoots at goal.
  3. Player 1 then sprints to the opposite end of the ladder, performs the same exercise, and receives a pass of player B.
  4. Player 1 does this 4 times (two at each end)
  5. The coach times the player.

If a player misses the goal or misses a step on the ladder then one second is added to the time.

Set up two cones 20 metres apart. Players lie down with their feet on the line. On the signal of the coach, the player gets up and sprints to the next cone. Time each player.

From one cone the first player bunny hops two feet together continuously five times. The coach measures the distance reached.

After a few weeks perform the same tests and see whether your players have improved on their fitness and agility.

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