Measurements of Strength, Power, Speed and Agility in High School Football Players

Limited data have been collected on the strength, power, speed and agility characteristics of high school American football players. PURPOSE: To describe a large sample of high school football players training year round in a comprehensive strength program in terms of their strength, power, speed and agility abilities. METHODS: Testing data were collected using established protocols for each measurement over a six-year period. The best 1 repetition maximum (RM) bench press, back squat, deadlift, incline press and power clean were identified for each athlete within a particular year. The best vertical jump, forty-yard sprint, and T-test were also identified. Mean and standard deviation values for each test were determined and further differentiated by grade (9–12) using one -way ANOVA. Any significant differences were examined using post hoc analysis. A sub-sample was also used to determine longitudinal trends across grade levels. RESULTS: Significant differences p<05 were found for bench press, squat, vertical jump, deadlift, and incline press. Post hoc analysis (all p-values less than .05) indicated grade 9 was significantly different from grades 10–12 for all of the strength measures, and between grades 9,11 and 12 for power clean and vertical jump respectively. Significant differences for grade 10 included: (a) bench press when compared to 11th and 12th grade; (b) 12th grade squat and vertical jump; and (c) 11th grade incline means. Eleventh grade significant differences were found between 10th grade bench mean, squat and incline and 12th grade vertical jump means. All significant differences indicate improved performance as year in school increased. Three-year longitudinal trends for all strength measures were also determined. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of this group of football athletes have been described using several measures of strength and power and a single measure each of speed and agility. The results of this study are not to be seen as normative but rather to inform coaches and athletes. This is the first study to present data on a large sample of high school American football players over a range of years. Further investigation is needed in areas of the country with larger populations and in cities/states known to produce a high number of college players.