Talent Identification
Tool Kit
Table of Contents
Talent Identification ................................................................................................................................ 2
Equipment for Talent Identification........................................................................................................ 3
Body Composition ................................................................................................................................... 4
Average Height for Girls and Boys .................................................................................................. 4
Average Weight for Girls and Boys ................................................................................................. 4
BMI .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Body Measurements ....................................................................................................................... 5
Somatotyping .................................................................................................................................. 5
Body Fat Percentage ....................................................................................................................... 7
Functional Movement Assessments ....................................................................................................... 8
Running ........................................................................................................................................... 8
Hitting.............................................................................................................................................. 8
Throwing ......................................................................................................................................... 8
Kicking ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Hand eye co-ordination .................................................................................................................. 9
Balance (One leg stance)................................................................................................................. 9
Physical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 10
Speed ................................................................................................................................................ 10
35m Sprint Test ............................................................................................................................. 10
Repeat Sprint Ability (Anaerobic Power) ...................................................................................... 10
Agility ................................................................................................................................................ 11
T- Test............................................................................................................................................ 11
Illinois agility test .......................................................................................................................... 11
Endurance ......................................................................................................................................... 12
Cooper Test (Aerobic Capacity) .................................................................................................... 12
Strength Tests ................................................................................................................................... 13
Push up Test .................................................................................................................................. 13
1min Sit up test ............................................................................................................................. 14
Power Tests ....................................................................................................................................... 15
Vertical Jump................................................................................................................................. 15
Standing Long Jump ...................................................................................................................... 15
References ............................................................................................................................................ 16
Appendix A ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Data Collection Sheet............................................................................................................................ 17
Page 1 of 19
Talent Identification
Talent identification is recognising current participants with the potential to become elite
performers. Predict performance over various periods of time by measuring physical, Physiological,
psychological and sociological attribute. (Regnier ect al, 1993)
Talent Development is providing athletes with a suitable learning environment so that talent can be
realised. (Wolstencroft, 2002)
Talent identification programs are used around the world in selected sports to identify talented
athletes at a young age. These athletes should be given the support to become world class athletes.
Talent identification can also be used as a tool to increase participation in sport and reduce the
number of drop outs in amateur sport.
Advantages of talent identification

Talent identification is seen to help accelerate an identified individuals progression to an
elite level and aiding them in reaching high performance level by the time they reach
international level
 It can assist athletes to select a sport they are best suited for
 Coaches are better able to focus training time on athletes with higher levels of talent and
ability for the particular sport
 For small countries it assists in finding the best athletes from limited sporting resources
(Burges)
Disadvantages of talent identification


In order to find a few talented individuals a large number of people need to be tested
Some individuals show all round talent however this makes it very difficult to identify the
particular sport that the individual is best suited for
(Burges)
The diagram below shows the different areas that should form the basis of the testing that is used to
identify talented athletes.
(Faber et al 1993)
For this talent identification project we are only going to focus on three of the above five areas.
These areas are:



Anthropometry
Motor skills/Functional Movement
Physical qualities
Page 2 of 19
These areas of were chosen on the basis that they can be easily tested in the field without needing
highly qualified professionals and large amounts of equipment.
In this context we have identified the following age groups for talent identification:


Boys 15 to 20
Girls 13 to 18
These age groups have been chosen based on maturity of the genders as well as that in previous
research has shown it to be detrimental for children under the age of 13 to specialise in any
particular sport.
Equipment for Talent Identification
Equipment
Pen
Clip Board
Note Pad
Calculator
Whistle
Scale
Stop Watch
Measuring Tape
Cones
Soccer Ball
Tennis Balls
Cricket Bat
Chalk Powder
Page 3 of 19
Quantity
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1 x 5m
Set of 50
2
Tin of 4
1
1
1 x 50m
Individual Cost
R 20
R 60
R 10
R 170
R 30
R 250
R 100
R 100 R 200
R 280
R 70
R 50
R 150
R 130
Total Cost
R 40
R 60
R 20
R 170
R 60
R 250
R 200
R 300
R 280
R 140
R 50
R 150
R 130
R 1850
Body Composition
Body size and composition is one of the main fitness components and is important for success in
many sports. For many athletes, this is an area that they concentrate on to reach an optimal body
shape for their sport. Consequently, many training or exercise programs are geared solely to modify
body size and composition in some way.
Body composition, such as the amount of body fat and muscle mass, can also significantly affect
sporting performance. Body size and composition can be considered important in sports where you
have an advantage of being tall (e.g. basketball) or small (jockeys), heavy (sumo wrestling) or light
(gymnastics). In many other sports, including team field sports, correct body composition and size is
also very important as part of the overall fitness profile. It must however be kept in mind that body
composition is used as a guild line in talent identification as it can be change with training and diet. If
a child falls outside of the norms it is not necessarily an indicator that they will be poor performers.
Average Height for Girls and Boys
Age
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Boys
150cm
156cm
163cm
169cm
173cm
175cm
177cm
Girls
150cm
155cm
158cm
158cm
159cm
160cm
(http://www.fpnotebook.com/endo/exam/hghtmsrmntinchldrn.htm)
Average Weight for Girls and Boys
Age
12 -13 years old
14 – 15 years old
16 – 17 years old
18 – 20 years old
Boys
39 – 45 Kg
45 – 56 Kg
56 – 68 Kg
58 – 68 Kg
(http://www.fpnotebook.com/Endo/Exam/WghtMsrmntInChldrn.htm)
BMI
BMI = weight / (height (m))2
Example
BMI = 65 / (1.69)2
BMI = 22.72
BMI References Score
Result
Less than 17
Too low
17–20
Underweight
20–25
Perfect
25–30
Minor obesity
30–35
Unhealthy obesity
35–40
Extremely unhealthy obesity
Page 4 of 19
Girls
43 – 45 Kg
45 – 52 Kg
52 – 56 Kg
56 – 60 Kg
More than 40
Severe obesity
Body Measurements
Head
Upper arm flexed
Chest
Upper Thigh
Ankle
Arm span
Inner Leg Length Left and Right
Girths (cm)
Neck
Forearm
Waist
Mid-Thigh
Lengths (cm)
Arm Length Left and Right
Body length
Upper arm relaxed
Wrist
Hip
Calf
Leg Length Left and Right
Somatotyping
Somatotyping is a simple way to describe an individual’s body shape, but not size. Somatotyping
deals with body type or physical classification of the human body. Everybody is made up of three
extreme body types. These types are endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. These body
components have the following characteristics.
Ectomorphy
An ectomorphic person is tall and thin, with a narrow body, thin arms and legs, little body fat and
wiry muscles. An example of an ectomorphic person in the sporting world would be a typical long
distance runner or basketball player. In general, ectomorphs rank high on endurance, flexibility and
agility.
Mesomorphy
A mesomorphic person would be strongly built, with a broad muscular chest and shoulders, very
muscular arms and legs, and little body fat. An example of a mesomorphic person in the sporting
world would be a typical weightlifter or shot putter. In general, mesomorphs rank high on strength,
endurance, power and agility.
Endomorphy
An endomorphic person is generally stocky, with a large round body, a short thick neck, short arms
and legs, and with a tendency to store body fat. Sports people tend not to be in this category, being
either more mesomorphic or ectomorphic. Generally, endomorphs rate poorly on physical fitness
assessments and so make poor athletes. Still, it is possible that someone who is rated as an
endomorph can modify their rating though diet and exercise to become more mesomorphic.
Calculation
In order to classify a person’s somatotype they are assigned a three digit number between one and
seven. A one indicating that the person shows little of none of the characteristics of the
classification and a seven indicating the person shows many or all of the characteristics. The first
digit indicates endomorph characteristics, the second digit indicates mesomorph characteristics and
the third digit indicates ectomorph characteristics. This three digit number is then plotted onto the
graphic below.
Page 5 of 19
Page 6 of 19
Body Fat Percentage
Body fat percentage represents the amount of a person’s total weight comprised of fat. A high
percentage of body fat is associated with numerous health issues. A low percentage of body fat is
associated with reduced energy and impairment of immune system function.
A healthy body fat range for men is between 10 and 25%. For optimal function men should maintain
a minimum fat percentage of 5%. Athletes tend to have a body fat percentage of between 5 – 13 %.
A body fat percentage of 25% or greater for men is considered to be obese.
A healthy body fat range for women is between 18 and 30 %. For optimal function women should
maintain a minimum fat percentage of 8 %. Athletes tend to have a body fat percentage of between
12 – 22%. A body fat percentage of 30% or greater for women is considered to be obese.
Calculation
Males: % body fat = 495/ (1.0324-0.19077 (log (waist-neck)) + 0.15456 (log (height))) -450
Females: % body fat = 495/ (1.29579-0.35004 (log (waist + hip-neck)) + 0.22100 (log (height))) -450
The table below is an indication of percentage body fat seen as ideal for a variety of different
sporting codes.
Sport
Baseball
Basketball
Body building
Cycling
Gymnastics
High/long
Jumpers
Ice/field
Hockey
Marathon
running
Male
12-15%
6-12%
5-8%
5-15%
5-12%
7-12%
Female
12-18%
20-27%
10-15%
15-20%
10-16%
10-18%
Sport
Rowing
Shot Putters
Sprinters
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Male
6-14%
16-20%
8-10%
10-18%
9-12%
12-16%
Female
12-18%
20-28%
12-20%
13-18%
14-24%
16-24%
8-15%
12-18%
Triathlon
5-12%
10-15%
5-11%
10-15%
Volleyball
11-14%
16-25%
(http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/normal-ranges-of-body-weight-and-body-fat)
Page 7 of 19
Functional Movement Assessments
In order to prepare an athlete for the wide variety of activities needed to participate in sport, the
analysis of fundamental movement needs to be incorporated into talent identification in order to
determine who possesses, or lacks, the ability to perform certain essential movements.
Fundamental movements’ assessment will include:






Running
Hitting
Throwing
Kicking
Hand eye co-ordination
Balance
If a person is unable to perform these basic functional movements it is unlikely that the person will
be able to participate in sport and can then be excused from further assessment.
Running
The assessor will measure out a straight line of 20 meters.
The athlete is instructed to run the 20 meters.
Scoring
The scoring is very simple all the assessor needs to note is whether or not the athlete can.
Hitting
In this assessment the assessor will throw a tennis ball (under arm) softly to the athlete at about
waist level. The athlete is told to hit the ball. The athlete is given ten attempts to hit the ball.
Scoring
The assessor records the number of balls the athlete is able to hit the athlete should be able to hit at
least five of the balls.
Throwing
In this assessment the athlete stands stationary and is instructed to throw the ball as far as possible
the athlete is given five attempts.
Scoring
The distance is measured from where the athlete is standing to where the ball first lands. The
measurement is recorded to the nearest meter. The best three throws are recorded.
Page 8 of 19
Kicking
This assessment is two phased the first is to determine if the athlete can kick a stationary ball. The
second phase of the assessment is to determine if the athlete can from a stationary position kick a
ball that has been rolled towards them. In both cases the athlete needs to kick the ball as far as
possible. The athlete will be given three attempts at each phase.
Scoring
The assessor will record the best stationary ball distance and the best two distances of the moving
ball. The measurement is recorded to the nearest meter.
Hand eye co-ordination
This assessment requires the athlete to throw and catch a tennis ball off a wall.





The athlete stands two metres away from a wall
The assessor gives the command "GO" and starts the stopwatch
The athlete throws a tennis ball with their right hand against the wall and catches it with the
left hand, throws the ball with the left hand and catches it with the right hand. This cycle of
throwing and catching is repeated for 30 seconds
The assessor counts the number of catches and stops the assessment after 30 seconds
The assessor records the number of catches
Poor
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Excellent
15 – 16 years
<20 sec
20 – 24 sec
25 – 29 sec
30 -35 sec
>35 sec
Balance (One leg stance)
This assessment requires the athlete to balance on one leg for as long as possible.






The athlete stands comfortably on both feet with their hands on their hips
The athlete lifts the right leg and places the sole of the right foot against the side of the left
kneecap
The assessor gives the command “GO”, starts the stopwatch and the athlete raises the heel
of the left foot to stand on their toes
The athlete is to hold this position for as long as possible
The assessor stops the stopwatch when the athlete’s foot touches the ground or the right
foot moves away from the left knee
The assessor records the time
Poor
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Page 9 of 19
15 – 16 years
<10 sec
10 – 24 sec
25 – 39 sec
40 – 50 sec
>50 sec
Physical assessment
Speed
35m Sprint Test
The assessment involves running a single maximum sprint over a set distance, with time recorded.
 The athlete runs 35m in at their fastest pace possible
Male
>5.60 sec
5.30 – 5.60 sec
5.10 – 5.29 sec
4.80 -5.09 sec
<4.80 sec
Poor
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Female
>6.20 sec
5.90 – 6.20 sec
5.60 -5.89 sec
5.30 -5.59 sec
<5.30 sec
Repeat Sprint Ability (Anaerobic Power)





Marker cones and lines are placed 30 meters apart to indicate the sprint distance.
Two more cones placed a further 10 meters on each end.
At the instructions of the assessor, the athlete places their foot at the starting line, then on
'go' two stopwatches are started simultaneously, and the athlete sprints maximally for 30m,
ensuring that they do not slow down before reaching the end.
One stopwatch is used to time the sprint, the other continues to run. Record the time.
The athletes use the 10 meter cone to slow down and turn, and return to the 30m finishing
point. The next sprint will be in the opposite direction. The next 30 meter sprint starts 30
seconds after the first started. This cycle continues until 10 sprints are completed, starting at
30 sec, 1 min, 1.5 min, 2 min etc. after the start of the first sprint.
Scoring
The fatigue index is calculated by taking the average speed of the first three trials and dividing it by
the average speed of the last three trials. This will give a value approximately between 75 and 95%.
Use the table below to determine the rating.
Rating
Poor
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Page 10 of 19
Fatigue Index
<80 %
80 - 84 %
85 – 89 %
>89 %
Agility
T- Test
The athlete starts at cone A.





On the command of the assessor, the athlete sprints to cone B and touches the base of the
cone with their right hand.
They then turn left and shuffle sideways to cone C, and also touches its base, this time with
their left hand.
Then shuffling sideways to the right to cone D and touching the base with the right hand.
They then shuffle back to cone B touching with the left hand, and run backwards to cone A.
The stopwatch is stopped as they pass cone A.
Poor
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Male
>11.5 sec
10.5 -11.5 sec
9.5 – 10.5 sec
<9.5 sec
Female
>12.5 sec
11.5 -12.5 sec
10.5 -11.5 sec
<10.5 sec
Illinois agility test





The assessor sets up the course as detailed in the diagram
The athlete lies face down on the floor at the “Start” cone
The assessor gives the command “GO” and starts the stopwatch.
The athlete jumps to his/her feet and negotiates the course around the cones following the
red line route shown in the diagram to the finish
The assessor stops the stopwatch and records the time when the athlete passes the “Finish”
cone
Page 11 of 19
16 – 19 years old
Male
>19.3 sec
18.2 -19.3 sec
16.2 – 18.1 sec
16.1 – 15.2 sec
<15.2 sec
Poor
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Female
>23 sec
21.8 – 23 sec
18 -21.7 sec
17 – 17.9 sec
<17 sec
Endurance
Cooper Test (Aerobic Capacity)
Place markers at set intervals around the track to aid in measuring the completed distance. Athletes
run for 12 minutes, and the total distance covered is recorded. Walking is allowed, though the
athletes must be encouraged to push themselves as hard as they can.
Male
Age
13-14
15-16
17-19
Excellent
>2700m
>2800m
>3000m
Above Average
2400-2700m
2500-2800m
2700-3000m
Average
2200-2399m
2300-2499m
2500-2699m
Below Average
2100-2199m
2200-2299m
2300-2499m
Poor
<2100m
<2200m
<2300m
Excellent
>2000m
>2100m
>2300m
Above Average
1900-2000m
2000-2100m
2100-2300m
Average
1600-1899m
1700-1999m
1800-2099m
Below Average
1500-1599m
1600-1699m
1700-1799m
Poor
<1500m
<1600m
<1700m
Female
Age
13-14
15-16
17-20
VO2max = (22.351 x kilometers) - 11.288
Page 12 of 19
Strength Tests
Push up Test
Boys should use the standard "military style" push up position with only the hands and the toes
touching the floor.
Military style push up
Place your hands right beneath your shoulders. Lift your body off the ground, and distribute your
weight through your toes and hands. Press off the ground while maintaining a flat back. Exhale at
the top of the push-up. Slowly lower yourself down toward the ground while inhaling.
Girls have the additional option of using the "bent knee" position. To do this, kneel on the floor,
hands on either side of the chest and keep your back straight.
Ladies push up
Ladies push-ups are performed by supporting the lower body on the knees instead of the toes,
which reduces the difficulty.
Do as many push ups as possible until exhaustion. Count the total number of push ups performed.
Use the chart below to find out how you rate.
Push Up Test (Boys)
Age
Excellent
Good
Above average
Average
Below average
Poor
Very Poor
Page 13 of 19
17-19
> 56
47-56
35-46
19-34
11-18
4-10
<4
20-29
> 47
39-47
30-39
17-29
10-16
4-9
<4
Push Up Test (Girls)
Age
Excellent
Good
Above Average
Average
Below average
Poor
Very Poor
17-19
> 35
27-35
21-27
11-20
6-10
2-5
0-1
1min Sit up test
Starting Position:
Lie on a carpeted or cushioned floor with your knees bent at approximately right angles, with feet
flat on the ground. Your hands should be resting on your thighs.
Technique:
Squeeze your stomach, push your back flat and raise high enough for your hands to slide along your
thighs to touch the tops of your knees. Don't pull with you neck or head and keep your lower back
on the floor. Then return to the starting position.
Boys
Age
Excellent
Good
Above
average
Average
Below
Average
Poor
Very Poor
18-25
>49
44-49
39-43
35-38
31-34
25-30
<25
Girls
Age
Excellent
Good
Above
average
Average
Below
Average
Poor
Very Poor
Page 14 of 19
18-25
>43
37-43
33-36
29-32
25-28
18-24
<18
Power Tests
Vertical Jump
The athlete stands side on to a wall and reaches up with the hand closest to the wall. Keeping the
feet flat on the ground, the point of the fingertips is marked or recorded. This is called the standing
reach height. The athlete then stands away from the wall, and leaps vertically as high as possible
using both arms and legs to assist in projecting the body upwards. The jumping technique can or
cannot use a countermovement. Attempt to touch the wall at the highest point of the jump. The
difference in distance between the standing reach height and the jump height is the score. The best
of three attempts is recorded.
Very Poor
Poor
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Very good
Excellent
Male
<21 cm
21 – 30 cm
31 – 40 cm
41 – 50 cm
51 - 60 cm
61 -70 cm
>70 cm
Female
<11 cm
11 -20 cm
21 – 30 cm
31 – 40 cm
41 -50 cm
51 – 60 cm
>60 cm
Standing Long Jump
The athlete stands behind a line marked on the ground with feet slightly apart. A two foot take-off
and landing is used, with swinging of the arms and bending of the knees to provide forward drive.
The subject attempts to jump as far as possible, landing on both feet without falling backwards.
Poor
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Page 15 of 19
Male
<190 cm
211 – 220 cm
221 – 231 cm
231 – 250 cm
>250 cm
Female
<160 cm
161 – 170 cm
171 -180 cm
180 -190 cm
>191 cm
References
Burgess, R Talent Identification
Faber, Irene, Oosterveld, Frits and Nijhuis-Van der Sanden, Ria (2011) A first step to an evidencebased talent identification program in the Netherlands; a research proposal
Regnier, G., Salmela, J. & Russell, S.J. (1993). Talent detection and development in
sport.
Wolstencroft, Elaine (ed.) August 2002Talent Identification and Development: An Academic Review
www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/normal-ranges-of-body-weight-and-body-fat
www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/normal-ranges-of-body-weight-and-body-fat
www.fpnotebook.com/Endo/Exam/WghtMsrmntInChldrn.htm
www.fpnotebook.com/endo/exam/hghtmsrmntinchldrn.htm
Page 16 of 19
Appendix A
Data Collection Sheet
Data Sheet
Date
School
Name
Age
Time
Venue
Gender
BODY COMPOSITION
Height
Body Fat %
Head
Upper Arm Flexed
Chest
Upper Thigh
Ankle
Arm Span
Right Leg
Left Inner Leg
Weight
Somatotype
Neck
Upper arm relaxed
Waist
Mid-Thigh
BMI
Left Arm
Left Leg
Ilio axilla (Body Length)
Right Arm
Right Inner Leg
Forearm
Wrist
Hip
Calf
FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT ASSESSMENT
Running
Yes
no
Hitting
Number
Throwing (Best 3 distances in meters)
1
2
3
Hitting (Best 3 distances in meters)
1
2
3
Kicking (Best 3 distances in meters)
1
2
3
Hand eye coordination
Number
Rating
Poor
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Above Average
Excellent
Balance
Time (seconds)
Rating
Poor
Below Average
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
SPEED TESTS
35m Sprint
Time (seconds)
Rating
Time (seconds)
Rating
Poor
Poor
Below Average
Average
Repeat Sprint Ability
Average
AGILITY TESTS
Page 17 of 19
Above Average
Excellent
T-Test
Time (seconds)
Rating
Time (seconds)
Rating
Poor
Poor
Average
Illinois Agility Test
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Excellent
Above Average
Excellent
Above Average
Excellent
ENDURANCE TEST
Cooper Test
Distance
Rating
VO2 Max
Poor
Below Average
Average
STRENGTH TEST
Push Up Test
Number
Rating
Very Poor
Poor
Number
Rating
Very Poor
Poor
Below
Average
Average
1 min Sit Up Test
Below
Average
Average
Above
Average
Good
Excellent
Above
Average
Good
Excellent
Above
Average
Good
Excellent
POWER TESTS
Vertical Jump
Height
Rating
Distance
Rating
Page 18 of 19
Very Poor
Poor
Poor
Below
Average
Average
Standing Long Jump
Below Average
Average
Above Average
Excellent