Fitness tests?

[Kalle]

My association is thinking about having some kind of a fitness test for our officials. To get some kind of an idea to what would be a good test, what kinds of tests do you know of for football officials?

[bossman72]

I think our college conference is that we have to do a mile in 11 or 12 minutes.

I think a more apt test would be 110's (110 yard sprints) 10 or 12 times.

Or a 425 yard shuttle run (goal line to goal line twice, then 25 yards) in under 2:45 or something.  2 or 3 sets.

These would be better since our nature is more sprinting than pacing yourself for a marathon/mile.  Both of the above exercises are done at about 80%-90% max effort.

[Kalle]

These would be better since our nature is more sprinting than pacing yourself for a marathon/mile.

Yeah, I fully agree and that's why I asked (we did a Cooper test this Spring but I don't think that is a good indicator)

[younggun]

100 Yard Sprint 2 times
and an Eye Test... ie.... look good in uniform.

[TampaSteve]

I'm a 2:30 half-marathoner, so bring on the 1 or 1.5mi runs. - heck, bring on several of them.
Do not disagree w/ Boss at all, BUT if our nature is sprinting, etc., how many times do we do 110 yd runs?
Maybe some forty's and/or shuttle 25 yrds several times would be more 'work-like' conditions..

[Rulesman]

I'm a 2:30 half-marathoner, so bring on the 1 or 1.5mi runs. - heck, bring on several of them.
Do not disagree w/ Boss at all, BUT if our nature is sprinting, etc., how many times do we do 110 yd runs?
Maybe some forty's and/or shuttle 25 yrds several times would be more 'work-like' conditions..

Better question yet is how many times in a game do you run a mile? Except for north of the border, every field I've ever seen is a mere 100 yards long. 

[DallasLJ]

As a runner, I also think the 40's and shuttles in more apt.  But, they should have an eye-exam every 2 or 3 years.  And, there probably should be some general stamina test -- so maybe a half mile or a mile.  I have worn my GPS running watch for many years and a flank official will walk, run, jog 4.5 to 5 miles per game.  BJ a little more.  U a little less.  So, you have to be able to "go" quite a distance over the course of your 2:30 to 3 hour game.

[Sumstine]

I think the best fitness test you can give a football officials is a video test on catch vs no catch and forward progress. Get those right 99% of the time and I don't care how fast you are.

[James]

Umpire test:
Bend down to pick up 5  off the ground
Open 5  in 0:45 - not sure what a good time would be...