Why? The Science of Athletics

ATHLETIC TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS OF ABILITY 159 When Professor McCloy used the Sargent jump in combination with his age-height-weight Classification Index he found its. correlation to the individual's athletic ability to be about .85, while the results of a number of trials taken over a period of days correlated as high as ·93· Correlating Tests and Athletic Abilities It should be pointed out that in speaking of "correlation point so-and-so" one means simply a measurement of relationship and not a percentage. Thus, such a high correlation as .g enables the official carrying out the tests to make a fairly accurate pre– diction of the boy's future ability, because the correla– tionship is working towards plus one, but a low correlation like "correlates .2" gives a lesser degree of reliability in prediction. So far we have seen the use of the Classification Index and the use of the Sargent jump for testing muscle vis– cosity, but there must also be a test for motor educability; that is to say, how well and how quickly the subject can learn new physical skills. For this purpose the Americans use the brace test, upon the administration of which a book has been published. · It is important to remember that the brace test does not, and is not intended to, test a boy's potentiality for learning individual skills, but only his ability to learn new skills. It is obvious, therefore, that any test of this kind must combine a number of "stunts". Motor Educability In America, I believe, the brace test is given in about the first week of school, and so precedes any form of stunt programme, and the records are passed on with each pupil throughout his schooldays. The fourth type of test used in America is a test for agility and co-ordination. This was first produced by Mr. R. H. Burpee, teacher of physical education at one ofth€ New York Y.M.C.A. institutions; other instructors have modified it te> meet their own requirements. In this test the subject takes the knees bend position with his hands resting on the floor in front of him. On the