Chelsea Eckel

Chelsea Eckel Assessment Project

Problem

1. To measure the technical ability, tactical awareness, physical aspects and personality traits of youth soccer players.

Refining the Problem

2. This evaluation is going to be used to asses youth soccer players, specifically for my sister U-9 travel team. These players are 8, turning 9 years old in either second or third grade. She plays for PDA (Player Development Academy) which is an elite soccer team that works to develop soccer players to move on and be recruited by top division colleges. Developing players at a young age allows for them to be three steps ahead of other kids that are only playing at the recreational level. They usually train about 2-3 times a week with 1-3 games on the weekends. Depending on if it is a league game or tournament. They play during the fall, a little bit during the winter and mostly all of the spring. This group of girls is very active and some of them participate in other sports on the side. 3. This evaluation is going to be used for improvement, motivation and feedback for the players. This grading scale will allow the players to see where they stand on the team compared to one another. They will also be able to see what areas they are really good at and what areas they need to improve in. If one of the players is on the lower rating scale then they will need to attend extra practices in order for them to catch up with the rest of the team. The rating scale is a great way to easily evaluate players and it is an easy way for them to understand it. 4. The components that I have chosen to evaluate are technical ability, tactical awareness, physical aspects and personality traits. Evaluating these four components will allow me to see where everyone on the team is at. This will show me who is at the top of the chain and who is at the bottom, or if everyone is about the same. I have selected these four components because they are the four main components that soccer players need. Without technical ability all the player will be doing is running around the field because they will not know how to control the ball. If the player does not have tactical awareness about offense or defense then they are not going to know what is going on during the game. A player needs to be in shape to be able to run up and down the field and have some speed to beat other players to the ball. But the most important part of the four components is the personality traits. If the player does not have determination and the excitement to play then they are probably only out there because of their parents. All kids should be having fun at this age and want to play the game.

Instrumentation and Methodology

5. Each player will be rated on a scale of 1-5 through out of each of the categories. A score of 1 means that whatever the child did in that category it was unsatisfactory. A score of 2 would mean that they are above average in that category. A score of 3 would mean that the child is average in that category. A score of 4 would mean that the child did above average in that category. A score of 5 would mean that the child did excellent in that category. Since these girls are at a higher level they should be at a score of 3 and above. No one should be below average. 6. To complete the following soccer evaluation you will need to have some equipment. The test administrator will first need a facility, which will be a regular, outdoor soccer field with lines and two goals on either side. For this age group you will also need size 4 soccer balls, lots of cones, flags and a whistle. The whole evaluation should take between an hour and an hour and a half. All drills should be set up before hand or when you send the players for a water break, with cones and or flags. If players have an injury they should let the administrator know beforehand so they are not graded on poor performance because of that injury. Each player will have the same chance to do the same drill for the same amount of times the trainer wants them to do so. The administrator should have at least two people helping him just in case something happens, and also so no time is wasted setting up drills. Have other people helping the administrator will allow him to have more eyes to watch the girls and grade their abilities and skills. 7. After the administrator has rated the players in all categories on a scale of 1-5 we will then move to the grading column, which will be able to show how well the player did. a. Players that receive a 1 will receive a failing grade and will be asked to come to extra practice sessions during the week until they can be re-evaluated. b. Players that receive a 2 will receive a D and will only be re-evaluated after a certain amount of regular practice days. c. Players that receive a 3 will receive a C; re-evaluation is optional depending on the administrator. d. Players that receive a 4 will receive a B and will not have to be retested. e. Players that receive a 5 will receive an A; they also do not need to be retested. If there are any injured players they need to tell the coach beforehand and the administrator will decide if they can participate or be retested later on. This evaluation is worth a full grade and no other evaluations will be given to the players. This evaluation is a formative assessment because it is gathering information for feedback results to help the players improve in their years to come on this team and if they move to other teams. Soccer Evaluation Form

Player Name: ______Age: ______Date: ______

Purpose: The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the player in each category to see how well they are developing their soccer skills.

Directions: Each athlete will complete a set of drills in each category provided by the trainer. They will be graded on a scale of 1-5 (see below) on how well they did in the drill. Please provide the number in the empty spaces that corresponds with the correct category.

Technical Ability Rating Scale (1-5) Grade (A-F) Passing Heading Dribbling Ball Control Finishing

Tactical Awareness In Attack In Defense Communication Positioning

Physical Aspects Endurance Speed Agility Strength Power

Personality Traits Aggressiveness Leadership Self-Confidence Coachability Drive

Comments: "Player Evaluation Record." Player Evaluation Record. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2014.