In addition to skill, baseball is a game of speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness. To standout at any level, great baseball athletes possess blazing speed around the bases, explosive power at bat or on the mound, fluid agility in the field, cat-like reactions at the place and lightening quickness on defense.
That's why the SPARQ Rating for Baseball is made up of 4 tests relevant to the movements you make and the athletic demands you encounter every day on the diamond.
SPARQ wants to reveal and test your athleticism in the most accurate, relevant way possible. Why? So you can know what you need to do to change and elevate your game.
The following are the 2008 SPARQ Baseball Testing Protocols. To download the 2008 Baseball Protocol (PDF) Sheet, click here. If you have any questions about the rating or protocols, post your question in the message boards.
That's why the SPARQ Rating for Baseball is made up of 4 tests relevant to the movements you make and the athletic demands you encounter every day on the diamond.
SPARQ wants to reveal and test your athleticism in the most accurate, relevant way possible. Why? So you can know what you need to do to change and elevate your game.
The following are the 2008 SPARQ Baseball Testing Protocols. To download the 2008 Baseball Protocol (PDF) Sheet, click here. If you have any questions about the rating or protocols, post your question in the message boards.
30-Yard Dash:
Not even the pros can rely on homeruns to let them take their sweet time rounding the bases. In baseball, you need to hustle. The 30-Yard Dash is specific to the demands of baseball, which requires short, straight-line sprints to field a ball or run between the bases.Home to first; first to second. The 30-Yard Dash measures your acceleration from a standing start and your ability to transition to top speed - all in 3 to 5 seconds. In addition, a good 30-Yard Dash time also is a strong indicator of your ability to sprint to the play in the outfield. Acceleration and speed will often dictate the outcome of decisive game situations.
Vertical Jump:
Why test a jump? Have you ever seen a base runner explode off third and steal home? Or an outfielder launch themselves into the air and rob a batter of a sure homerun? That's the simple answer.An outstanding vertical jump is the signature athletic attribute of the baseball player who typically displays blazing speed on the base path and in the outfield.
Agility Shuttle:
In baseball, a base runner must be able to cut on a dime. You take a lead and CRACK! - fly ball. You have to cut and react quickly to turn around and tag up.The Agility Shuttle requires and measures your side-to-side quickness and agility. It mimics the demands of baseball - frequent, instantaneous changes in direction that occur at top speed. A good shuttle time shows you're equipped to elude a tag, avoid a collision or make a seemingly impossible grab.
Rotational Power Ball Throw:
Power in baseball means hitting doubles, triples, and home runs. Power also means throwing heat past batters.The Rotational Power Ball Throw measures your rotational power and core strength, and it also reflects the command you have over your body and how well you are at transferring your power outward; through your arms, to the ball, and to the bat.
Find an athlete with a high Rotational Power Ball Throw score and you've found an athlete a high-batted ball velocity.
