PLAYER PROFILING
WHY? Developing a player profile for yourself or your players helps to: - Identify strengths and weaknesses, to help guide training programme design
- Monitor development
- Guide return from illness or injury HOW? There are two parts to a Player Profile. 1. Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire Personal information: name, age, address, emergency contacts
Lifestyle habits: occupation, living arrangements, dietary habits, etc.
Medical history: known conditions and severity, medications, previous injuries and treatment, family history of disease and family doctor details. Don’t leave finding out this information until it’s too late. 2. The Fitness Check-up - Content will vary depending upon the time, resources and expertise available to you
- Even some simple tests, like those in the table below, provide useful information and allow goals to be set - Tests scores are very motivating and provide a great incentive to train.
| Height | Try to always measure at the same time of day
| | Weight | | Aerobic Fitness | 12 minute run, beep test or Yo Yo test (1)
| | Speed | 30 metre sprint (2)
| | Leg power | Standing long jump or vertical jump | | Balance | Stork test – timed single leg balance
|
(1) The Yo Yo test is a soccer-specific endurance test, available by contacting New Zealand Football or email sportandhealthnz@gmail.com
(2) Ideally, speed would be measured over shorter distances, but without electronic timing lights, this is unreliable. The example forms below are designed for different groups of players. Choose the one that suits you best or design your own. Small Whites Junior Club Senior Elite WHEN? Ideally, profiling should be done at the start and end of pre-season, midway through the season and again at the end. For more information on fitness testing for soccer, including specific tests of agility, flexibility and muscle strength and endurance, contact Helen Tunstall on 09 414 0174 or email helen.tunstall@nzfootball.co.nz | 
