Are Young Female Basketball Players Adequately Prepared for a Force–Velocity Jumping and Sprinting Assessment?

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the interday reliability of mechanical variables obtained from the horizontal and vertical force–velocity (FV) profiles in adolescent female basketball players. If found to be reliable, the associations between FV parameters (theoretical maximal force, velocity, and power), squat jump (SJ) height, 30-m sprint, and change of direction (COD) times were evaluated. Methods: After familiarization, SJ against incremental loads, 30-m sprint, and 505-COD tests were obtained twice in 36 adolescent female basketball players (age = 15.4 [1.2] y). Results: Reliability for vertical FV parameters was unacceptable, whereas 505-COD times and FV horizontal parameters (except for theoretical maximal power) showed a moderate to high reliability. 505-COD time was correlated with FV horizontal parameters (range: r = −.821, −.451), and a large association was observed with both SJ height (r = −.678, −.600) and 30-m sprint time (r = .813, .858). Conclusions: Due to low levels of strength, our athletes were not adequately prepared to obtain a reliable vertical FV profile. Practitioners can expect acceptable reliability of the horizontal FV profile. Given the association between COD performance and SJ height and 30-m sprint time, we encouraged practitioners with limited equipment at their disposal to use COD and/or 30-m sprint tests.