SITUATION

Traditional change-of-direction tests have long been used in sports performance assessments, but their ability to discriminate between higher and lower-level athletes has been questioned. One of the limitations of these tests is their inability to replicate the dynamic and unpredictable nature of real-game situations. Reactive agility tests, on the other hand, have shown promise in differentiating between athletes of varying skill levels (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). These tests incorporate elements of decision-making and reaction time, making them more representative of in-game scenarios.

CHALLENGE

However, a significant challenge in implementing reactive agility testing in sports performance assessments is the lack of accessible and cost-effective technology. Many reactive agility testing systems are expensive and require specialized equipment, limiting their availability to high-budget programs. To address this limitation, our study aimed to explore the feasibility of using a sports-specific reactive agility test via the "SwitchedOn" mobile app, which could potentially offer a more affordable and accessible alternative.

SOLUTION

A sports-specific reactive agility test was created using the SwitchedOn mobile app. It was tested with high school and college basketball players with the objective of determining if it could reliably discriminate between the two groups, thus providing evidence of its value as a tool for talent identification and performance evaluation.

Participants

The study included a sample of 33 basketball players (mean age: 17.3 years, SD: 3.1), comprising 15 who compete at the college level and 18 at the high school level.

TEST Procedure

1. Prior to the test, participants completed a 15-minute dynamic warm-up.

2. The test was conducted on a basketball court with 4 cones arranged to create a square, simulating the multi-directional demands of in-game agility. Cones were spaced 5 yards apart, and visual cues were projected on a phone screen (via the SwitchedOn app) at the top of the square (shown in Figure 1).

3. Participants started in the middle of the square, and a coach stood directly next to the phone. After an initial 5-second countdown, a randomized stimulus (color or number) appeared on the screen. Participants were instructed to react to the stimulus by dribbling to the associated cone, touching it with their hand, and then dribbling back to their initial starting position as quickly as possible. Colors and numbers were used as stimuli to target higher-level cognitive functions often required in sports (1).

4. Coaches were instructed to touch the phone screen precisely when the participant returned to their starting position, which recorded their response time and initiated a transition to the next stimulus.

5. Participants performed a total of 6 reps, and then their average response time (Avg. RT) was recorded.

6. The combined Avg. RT for each group was then compared to determine if there was a difference between the two groups.

RESULTS

The results of our study revealed that college players (Avg. RT - 3.482 s) outperformed high school players (Avg. RT - 3.605 s) by 4%, indicating that the test was accurately able to distinguish between college and high school players. Additionally,  both groups demonstrated a remarkable 9% improvement in their performance over a 6-week training period, highlighting the test's sensitivity to training-induced gains.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that using the SwitchedOn mobile app for sports-specific reactive agility testing can reliably discriminate between college and high school athletes. The 4% performance advantage observed in college athletes suggests that this innovative and accessible testing method holds promise as a valuable tool for talent identification and performance assessment in sports programs.

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