Abstract
High test retest reliability is essential in tests used for both scientific research
and to monitor athletic performance. Thirty-nine (20 male and 19 female) well-trained
university field hockey players volunteered to participate in the study. The reliability
of the in house designed test was determined by repeating the test (3 - 14 days later)
following full familiarisation. The validity was assessed by comparing coaches ranks
of players with ranked performance on the skill test. The mean difference and confidence
limits in overall skill test performance was 0.0 ± 1.0 % and the standard error (confidence
limits) was 2.1 % (1.7 to 2.8 %). The mean difference and confidence limits for the
“decision making” time was 0.0 ± 1.0 % and the standard error (confidence limits)
was 4.5 % (3.6 to 6.2 %). The validity correlation (Pearson) was r = 0.83 and r =
0.73 for female players and r = 0.61 and r = 0.70 for male players for overall time
and “decision making” time respectively. We conclude that the field hockey skill test
is a reliable measure of skill performance and that it is valid as a predictor of
coach-assessed hockey performance, but the validity is greater for female players.
Key words
Intermittent exercise - team sports
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C. Sunderland
School of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Nottingham Trent University
Clifton Lane
Nottingham, NG11 8NS
United Kingdom
Phone: + 44(0)1158486379
Fax: + 44 (0) 11 58 48 66 36
Email: caroline.sunderland@ntu.ac.uk
