Assessing Speed
40 yard sprint: Speed is a key component of soccer conditioning and the 40 yard sprint is one of the
simplest methods to determine linear speed.
Equipment: Two cones, measuring tape, stop-watch, a flat running surface at least 55 yards in length (
yards for the sprint and 15 yards after the finish line for deceleration)
Set-up and Directions: Place two cones 40 yards apart in a straight line. Designate one of these cones as
the starting point. The player should be allowed to warm up for several minutes with some light jogging
and dynamic stretching. The athlete should also be given two practice runs at submaximal speed. When
ready, have the athlete attain a stance of their preference with his forward most foot directly in line with
the starting cone (Figure 1.5). The coach/timer should be placed at the finish line directly in line with the
cone at the endpoint. On the timer's signal, the player sprints maximally until passing the end line.
Figure 1.5 Assessing Maximum Speed Using The 40 Yard SprintAssessment: For senior players (18 years and older) a time of less than 4.7 seconds for men and 5.
seconds for women is considered to be an excellent score, whereas times slower (greater) than 5.2 for
men and 6.5 for women are considered below average.