Evaluation of the reliability of two field hockey specific sprint and dribble tests in young field hockey players

Objectives: To determine the reliability of two field hockey specific tests: the shuttle sprint and dribble test (ShuttleSDT) and the slalom sprint and dribble test (SlalomSDT). Methods: The shuttle sprint and dribble performances of 22 young male and 12 young female field hockey players were assessed on two occasions within 4 weeks. Twenty one young female field hockey players took part in the slalom sprint and dribble test twice in a 4 week period. The ShuttleSDT required the players to perform three 30 m shuttle sprints while carrying a hockey stick alternated with short periods of rest and, after a 5 minute rest, three 30 m shuttle sprints alternated with rest while dribbling a hockey ball. The SlalomSDT required the players to run a slalom course and, after a 5 minute rest, to dribble the same slalom with a hockey ball. Results: There were no differences in mean time scores between the two test sessions. The mean differences were small when compared with the means of both test sessions. With the exception of the slalom sprint time, zero lay within the 95% confidence interval of the mean differences indicating that no bias existed between the two measurements. With the exception of delta shuttle time (0.79), all intraclass correlation coefficient values for the ShuttleSDT, met the criterion for reliability of 0.80. Intraclass correlation coefficient values for SlalomSDT were 0.91 for slalom sprint time, 0.78 for slalom dribble time, and 0.80 for delta slalom time. Conclusions: ShuttleSDT and the SlalomSDT are reliable measures of sprint and dribble performances of young field hockey players.