The Speed Evaluation, explained
A Speed Evaluation should answer more questions than it creates. You should know what will be tested, what the results mean, what is not being claimed, and how the information becomes a training plan before you decide whether to book.
What happens during the evaluation
The session is built to create a useful speed and movement profile, not to put an athlete through a random workout.
Depending on the athlete and the setting, we may use timed sprint work, change-of-direction testing, movement observation, sprint video, and relevant physical-performance measures. The exact combination is chosen to fit the athlete’s developmental stage and needs. The evaluation typically takes about 45–90 minutes, with the range depending on the athlete and what needs to be assessed.
The important part is not the number of tests. It is whether each test gives us information we can coach from.
A timed sprint may tell us how you performed over a distance. A split can show where time is being gained or lost. Movement observation can add context to what the clock shows. Together, those pieces help us build a performance profile.
Anything we do not test is listed as untested. We do not estimate a score to make a report look complete.
Diagnosis precedes prescription.
What you leave with
The goal of the evaluation is direction.
You leave with a report that organizes the information into scores, performance tiers, and development priorities. The four performance tiers are:
Those tiers are a scale, not development stages and not labels on an athlete. "Elite" only describes a performance tier within a tested quality.
Your athlete is also viewed within the appropriate development pathway:
The stages and tiers answer different questions. The stage helps us frame what kind of training is appropriate for the athlete’s development. The tier helps give a tested quality context within that stage.
The report also identifies the highest-leverage area: the development priority that deserves attention first. That does not mean every other quality is ignored. It means training has a clear starting point instead of trying to improve everything at once.
How to read the report
Start with the highest-leverage area rather than looking for the highest or lowest number.
Then ask three questions:
- What exactly was tested?
- What does the result tell us about the athlete’s current performance?
- What will we do differently in training because of it?
That third question is the reason the evaluation exists.
A report should not become a collection of numbers that sits in an inbox. The information should lead into a plan. At The Speed Doctor, the working cycle is:
Training gives us a chance to act on the profile. Retesting gives us a chance to check whether that work changed the performance we intended to change.
What the evaluation is not
This is a speed and movement performance evaluation. It does not diagnose injuries, identify medical conditions, or replace a physician, physical therapist, athletic trainer, or other qualified medical professional.
We also do not use one session to guarantee future results. Development varies by athlete, training history, consistency, sport demands, recovery, and many other factors.
The evaluation is designed to replace guessing with better information.
What parents usually want to know
Will my athlete be compared with older or younger athletes?
Results are interpreted within the athlete’s developmental context. Ages are guidance, not rigid cutoffs.
What if my athlete has never done formal speed testing?
That is fine. Testing establishes a starting point. "Developing" is a performance tier, not a negative label.
What if a test is not completed?
It stays untested. It is not estimated.
Does the evaluation automatically mean we have to purchase training?
No. The value of the evaluation is the information and direction it provides. The next step depends on the athlete and family.
How much does it cost?
$75— waived when you sign up for any training package.
Why this comes before training
Two athletes can record the same 40-yard time and need different training. One may have the larger opportunity in acceleration. Another may need more top-end velocity development. Another may need foundational movement or physical qualities that support both.
Without evaluating first, it is easy to prescribe the same solution to different problems.
The Speed Evaluation is our way of starting with the athlete who is actually in front of us.
