Chapter 18

Sports Skills

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Chapter Objectives
After completing this chapter, you should be able to
1. Measure sport skills
2. State how sports skills tests may be used in
physical education.
3. Describe responsibilities after the measurement
of sports skills.
4. Locate and select individual, dual, and team
sports skills tests.

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Sports Skills Tests

Selection of sports skills tests should be based on
criteria described in chapter 5.
Test items measure only one aspect of sport.
May be best to develop localized norms.
Tests presented in text are grouped under
particular sports; may be placed into four groups.
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Grouping of Sports Skills Tests

1. Accuracy-based tests
Throwing, serving, striking, or kicking an
object toward a target for accuracy
Examples throwing a baseball or
football, shooting a basketball, serving a
tennis ball, and kicking a soccer ball
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Grouping of Sports Skills Tests

2. Repetitive-performance tests (also called wall
volley tests)
Continuous performance of an activity for a
specified time period; performer required to
stroke, pass, throw, or kick an object at a wall
for a specified time period; number of
successful trials is measurement
Examples basketball passes, volleyball
volleys, soccer kicks, and racket sports strokes
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Grouping of Sports Skills Tests

3. Total body movement tests (also called speed
tests)
Test performer moves the whole body in a
restricted designated area as quickly as possible
Examples basketball and soccer dribbling
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Grouping of Sports Skills Tests

4. Distance or power performance
Test performer throws, kicks, or strikes an
object for maximum displacement or force
Examples baseball or softball throws, golf
drives, football punts, and soccer kicks

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Why Measure Sports Skills?

Achievement
Classification
Diagnosis
Motivation
Practice
Program Accountability
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Why Measure Sports Skills?

When testing emphasize form and technique.
May use checklist, rating chart, analytical, and
holistic rubrics.

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Responsibilities after Measurement

Related to purposes of measurement
If for achievement and grading, should have
grading scale (norm-referenced or criteriareferenced)
If classification, must determine scores for
group placement
If diagnostic, provide guidance for improvement
of weaknesses and increase strengths

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Responsibilities after Measurement

If motivation, emphasize positive aspects
and provide challenges for improvement
Never allow program accountability to be
only reason for testing

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AAHPER Archery Test

Test objective. To measure archery skill.
Age level. Twelve through eighteen.
Face validity; no reliability coefficient provided.
Two ends of six arrows (total of twelve) are shot at
distances of 10, 20, and 30 yard for boys and 10
and 20 yards for girls.
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Badminton French Short-Serve Test

Test objective. To measure the ability to serve
accurately with a low and short placement
(degree of serving skill should be developed
before the test is administered).
Age level. Junior high through college.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Serve must pass between rope (20 inches above
net) and net and land in target area. Figure 18.1
shows court markings.
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Badminton Scott and French LongServe Test

Test objective. To measure the accuracy of the
long serve.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Serve must pass over a rope 14 feet from and
parallel to net at a height of 8 feet into target
area. Figure 18.2 shows court markings.
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Badminton Poole Forehand Clear Test

Test objective. To measure the ability to hit the
forehand clear from the backcourt, high and deep
into the opponents court.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Figure 18.3 shows scoring zones.
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Golf Clevetts Putting Test

Test objective. To measure general golf putting
ability.
Age level. Junior high through college-age.
Validity and reliability not reported.
Figure 18.4 shows markings on smooth carpet.

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The Green Golf Test

Test objective. To measure the golf skills of
putting, chipping, pitch shot, and approach shot.
Age level. Originally designed for college.
students but may be used for individuals younger
than college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
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The Green Golf Test

Test items
Long putt (25 feet)
Chip shot for 35 feet
Pitch shot from 40 yards
Middle distance shot (140 yards for males and
110 yards for females)
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Indoor Golf Skill Test for Junior High

School Boys
Test objective. To measure golf skill with the 5iron.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Figure 18.5 shows target markings; plastic balls are
used.

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Tyson Handball Test

Test objective. To measure essential handball
skills.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
30-Second Volley
Front-Wall Kill with Dominant Hand (Figure
18.6 shows floor and wall target area.)
Back-Wall Kill with Dominant Hand (Figure
18.7 shows floor and wall target area.)
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Racquetball Skills Test

Test objective. To measure basic racquetball
skills.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Short Wall Volley Test
Long Wall Volley Test
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Hewitts Revision of the Dyer Backboard

Tennis Test
Test objective. To classify beginning and
advanced tennis players by measuring rallying
ability.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Three trials of 30 seconds each; average number
of times ball can be hit against the wall on or
above a line 3 feet high from a distance of 20 feet.
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Hewitt Tennis Achievement Test

Test objective. To measure the basic tennis skills of the
service, forehand drive, and backhand drive.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Service Placement (Figure 18.8 shows court markings.)
Speed of Service (Figure 18.8 shows court markings.)
Forehand and Backhand Drive Tests (Figure 18.9
shows court markings.)

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AAHPERD Tennis Skills Test

Test Objective. To measure the basic tennis skills
of ground strokes (forehand and backhand) and
the serve. A volley test is included as an
optional item.
Age level. Grade 9 through college.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Ground Strokes (Figure 18.10 shows court
markings.)
Serve (Figure 18.11 shows court markings.)
Volley (Figure 18.12 shows court markings.)
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AAHPERD Basketball Skills Test

Age level. Ten through college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Speed Spot Shooting (Figure 18.13 shows floor
markings.)
Test objective. To measure skill in rapidly
shooting from different positions and, to a limited
extent, to measure agility and ball handling.
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AAHPERD Basketball Skills Test

Passing (Figure 18.14 shows wall markings.)
Test objective. To measure skill in chest passing
and recovering the ball while moving.
Control Dribble (Figure 18.15 shows court
markings.)
Test objective. To measure ball-handling skill
(dribbling) while moving.
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AAHPERD Basketball Skills Test

Defensive Movement (Figure 18.16 shows court
markings.)
Test objective. To measure basic defensivemovement skills.

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Field Hockey Chapman Ball Control Test

Test objective. To measure the ability to combine
quickness in stick movement with ability to
control the force that is necessary to move the
ball.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Figure 18.17 shows the pattern that is placed on
the gymnasium floor.
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AAHPER Football Skills Test

This test includes ten items that measure different
football skills. Eight items, which measure skills
also used in touch or flag football, are described.
Test objective. Each item measures a single basic
skill.
No validity or reliability coefficients reported.
Forward Pass for Distance
50-Yard Dash with Football
Forward Pass for Accuracy
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AAHPER Football Skills Test

Punt for Distance
Ball-Changing Zigzag Run (Figure 18.18 shows
placement of chairs.)
Catching the Forward Pass (Figure 18.19 shows
field markings.)
Pullout
Kickoff
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McDonald Soccer Test

Test objective. To measure general soccer ability.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Validity coefficient reported; reliability not
reported.
Three 30-second trials; number of times the ball
can be kicked against the wall (30 feet wide and
11 feet high) from a distance of 9 feet.
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Mitchell Soccer Test

Test objective. To measure general soccer ability.
Age level. Originally designed for fifth- and sixthgrade boys but may be administered to girls and
boys in grade 5 through junior high.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Three trials of 20 seconds each; total number of
times the ball can be legally kicked against a wall
target (4 feet high from base of the wall and 8 feet
long) from a distance of 6 feet.
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AAHPERD Softball Skills Test

Test objective. To measure the basic softball skills
of batting, fielding, throwing, and baserunning.
Age level. Grade 5 through college.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Batting (figure 18.20 shows field markings)
Fielding Ground Balls (Figure 18.21 shows field
markings.)
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AAHPERD Softball Skills Test

Overhand Throwing for Distance and Accuracy
(Figure 18.22 shows field markings.)
Baserunning

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Fielding Grounders Agility, Speed, and

Accuracy Test
Test objective. To measure the ability to field
grounders, to run to a base, and to throw quickly
and accurately to a target.
Age level. Originally designed for high school
girls but also may be administered to high school
boys.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Figure 18.23 shows the floor and wall markings
for the test.
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Shick Softball Test Battery

Test objective. To measure defensive softball skills.
Age level. Originally designed for college women, but
the test also may be administered to males and females
in high school through college.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Repeated Throws

Fielding Test

Target Test (Figure 18.24 shows the wall and floor target
markings.)

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Brady Volley Test

Test objective. To measure general volleyball
playing ability.
Age level. College, but the test may also be
appropriate for some high school groups.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Test performer volleys the ball within the
boundaries of a wall target for 60 seconds.
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Brumbach Volleyball Service Test

Test objective. To measure the ability to serve
the volleyball low and deep into the opponents
court.
Age level. Junior high through college-age.
Validity and reliability not reported.
Figure 18.25 shows the floor markings and rope
placement.
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North Carolina State University

Volleyball Skills Test Battery
Test objective. To measure and evaluate the
three basic volleyball skills: serve, forearm pass,
and set.
Age level. High school through college-age.
Content validity assumed; reliability coefficient
reported.
Serve (Figure 18.26 shows the floor markings.)
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North Carolina State University

Volleyball Skills Test Battery
Forearm Pass (Figure 18.27 shows the court
markings and rope placement.)
Set (Figure 18.28 shows the court markings and
rope placement.)

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Russell-Lange Volleyball Test

Test objective. To measure volleyball passing
ability.
Age level. Junior and senior high girls, but the
serve item is also appropriate for junior and senior
high boys.
Validity and reliability coefficients reported.
Volley
Serve (Figure 18.29 shows the court markings.)
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