New Fitness Standards

[MassachusettsRef]

The announcement is to come Friday. An article from Monday, in the wake of the final workshop:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060327/1/6dxp.html

Some highlights:

1) EVERY domestic league performance has been monitored. I know that some have suggested in the past that, for example, Stott's MLS's performances didn't matter that much. Obviously, they do.

2) FIFA now says that the exact number of referees taken is not yet finalized and that it will be "at least" 30. That leaves wiggle room from the announcement a few weeks ago that there would be 30 referees selected total.

3) FIFA has stuck to the "new" fitness test, which some people doubted would happen.

[bluedevils]

what is the 'new' fitness test? is it the 'beep test' that has been mentioned in the U.S. for a couple years now? I am surprised USSF has not switched from the Cooper test to the beep test. I expected it would have happened by now, at least at the national level, considering they were trying it out at camp a couple years ago (I think) and have been talking about it for so long.

Does anyone have a link to the official version of the beep test that USSF is considering adopting?

[USSF REF]

The new fitness test, I believe is something like this.

Run 10 laps. Broken up in this way...

20 segments of 150m sprint (must be completed in 30 sec) and 50 m walk (must be completed in 30 sec). Where each lap is 2 segments.

I'm not sure about this so somebody check me on it.

[USSF REF]

article about the fitness test (http://www.uefa.com/uefa/Keytopics/kind=524288/newsId=279424.html)

[MassachusettsRef]

USSF Ref pretty much has it...although I thought it was initially supposed to be 12 laps (the WC article does say it is 10 laps).

People that I know who have taken the test say that, while it does recreate game circumstances much better, it's not as easy as it may sound. The problem that most referees seem to encounter is that they sprint the the 150m in the first few laps (getting times of like 20-23s); by the 6th or 7th lap, getting in under the 30s windows becomes almost impossible. The key is to pace yourself and just run--rather than sprint--the 150m legs. If you get 27-28s times early, you can maintain that throughout the test.

And, as a disclaimer, I haven't taken the test. I get that from second-hand information, but multiple people have pretty much said the same thing.

[bluedevils]

I didn't read the link yet, but assuming ref A and ref B both complete the max laps (10 or 12, whatever) within compliance-- how do you measure their performance more specifically than that? Are the 150m times recorded or something? I'm just trying to figure out how this would actually evaluate performance. With the Cooper test, which I personally think is not real-field applicable and too easy in terms of the passing scores/times (even the magical '3000 meter club' at national camp), at least you can point to your specific distance on the 12min run or time on the 50m or 200m sprints and compare with others.

So this is NOT the beep test that was being considered, eh?

[MassachusettsRef]

So this is NOT the beep test that was being considered, eh?Correct.

Insofar as measuring performance, there will be a total time that it takes for you to travel the 10 laps. There are three requirements:

1) you finish each 150m leg under 30 s
2) you finish each 50m leg under 30 s
3) you finish all 10 laps under 20 min

Some people will pace themselves and finish in 19:30. Others will be able to pull off a 17:15. There will still be a discrepancy in total times.

You might be envisioning a scenario where you're held after each leg until the clock reaches 30 s. That's not what happens. It's one fluid event.

[Wreave]

You might be envisioning a scenario where you're held after each leg until the clock reaches 30 s. That's not what happens. It's one fluid event.

I think you're incorrect on that, at least from a previous article I read about how the test is administered. There is a test administrator with a flag every 200 meters. He holds the flag out, indicating that you may not yet start. Then, he drops the flag at the appointed time. There's a guy with a watch and a whistle that he blows at each start time, and each finish time. If you're not across the line by the second whistle, you missed that one. You still have to make the next start. You have to do ten of twelve in the prescribed time.

[Englishref]

Two other points of interest for me.

The current squad includes candidates from all over the globe, including Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and two Australians. However, the geographical spread will have no bearing on the final line-up. Performance is the only criterion used to determine which men will be handed the whistle at the tournament.


Yeah right.

And:

The World Cup refereeing team is in great shape.

Obviously not that great shape. Graham Poll had to be replaced after 26 minutes last night whilst refereeing the Man Utd vs West Ham game and be replaced by fourth official Martin Atkinson. He had some treatment done to his hamstring, and managed to still move around ok for a couple of minutes while Martin warmed himself up, before coming off. No idea how serious it is. The presenter on Sky said a torn hamstring, but if it was that serious, he wouldn't have been running around like he was just before he came off. Hopefully it isn't serious, but one things for certain. The PGMO will do everything in their power to get him fit, given the lengths they've already gone to, to put his name in the bright lights ahead of the WC.

[bluedevils]

I hope the timing/evaluation is as massref describes, but I have a hard time envisioning how a multi-participant test could be administered in this manner. How could they keep track of everything going on like that? It doesn't seem like it could be done. If the whistle is sounding every 30 seconds at the beginning, once runner A gets ahead of runner B, when does the whistle sound?

[AlsoRan]

Does anyone have a link to the official version of the beep test that USSF is considering adopting?

I don't know if the test has been passed along unaltered, but here is the definition of the test from March of last year.
http://ssbra.org/html/education/othertopics/FIFARefereesFitnessTestsforFIFA2005Tournaments_E%5B1%5D.pdf

[USSF REF]

Nice paper Also Ran -- thanks.

So, if you miss 1 - 150m run during the LD - you fail... wow, better not trip.

However, in the first sprinting test... the Referees get another trails if they slip or fall.... When the Referee falls everytime he won't make the time... is that trickery? Does he get a caution?

I find the fact that there are conditions that must be met, otherwise you have to stop immediatly and retire, you failed. The current test is just a measurement of how far you can go in a certain amount of time... there is no automatic failure... That is cut-throat.

[bluedevils]

Finally read the fitness test link from alsoran - thanks!

Regarding the 150m/50m track test, the only measure is how many laps you complete (within the max allotted time). That would be your only 'score.' They aren't tracking the split times during each 150m run or 50m walk, only tracking that you reach the end point before the time limit.

The stated requirement is 10 laps minimum, 15 laps maximum.

Without having taken this test myself, it sure seems tougher than the Cooper test and that's a good thing. But I wish they had a way to differentiate the performances among referees more than just how many laps did each ref complete.

[Wreave]

Without having taken this test myself, it sure seems tougher than the Cooper test and that's a good thing. But I wish they had a way to differentiate the performances among referees more than just how many laps did each ref complete.

I don't know... that actually seems pretty good. 10 laps = 20 150m runs. That's pretty solid in an of itself. The question is, from a minimum of 20 up to a max of 30, how many can you do? I bet there aren't many who can do 30.

Basically, they seem to have determined that 150m in 30 secs is the speed a ref needs. So doing 20 150m runs in 25 secs doesn't help. However, if they know you can do 25 or 28 runs in 28-29 secs, that gives a better indication.

I like this test. The Cooper test seemed way too easy given the fitness level of the players for these games. Although as noted, the nice thing about the Cooper is the way it lets you compare yourself to other refs. With this test, the ARs can't even compare themselves to the CRs, because the AR test is run on different pacing.

[bluedevils]

I was thinking the same thing - 20 x 150m is quite a few segments to be run at a fairly decent pace. 30 sec for 150m is the same pace as a 1:20 lap which is moving at a pretty good clip. If you aren't naturally athletic and/or working hard at your fitness level, I don't think you will be able to do the 10-lap 'minimum' (20 x 150m + 20 walking segments).

Just thinking about it, it does seem that passing the test should be a pretty good statement of fitness for a referee/AR. I can't say the same about the Cooper test, even at the numbers required by USSF for FIFA panel consideration (2700+m, < 32 sec 200m, and < 7.5 sec 50m ??).

[ref47]

unless i have screwed up my math, this pace is equal to 3600 meters under a cooper. which is about 2 and 1/4 miles in 12 minutes. which is a sub 5.5 minute mile.

ok, it's not a continuous run. there is a brief rest between running legs. but i haven't been able to do anything like this since my 20's.

[USSF REF]

I don't know... that actually seems pretty good. 10 laps = 20 150m runs. That's pretty solid in an of itself. The question is, from a minimum of 20 up to a max of 30, how many can you do? I bet there aren't many who can do 30.

Basically, they seem to have determined that 150m in 30 secs is the speed a ref needs. So doing 20 150m runs in 25 secs doesn't help. However, if they know you can do 25 or 28 runs in 28-29 secs, that gives a better indication.

I like this test. The Cooper test seemed way too easy given the fitness level of the players for these games. Although as noted, the nice thing about the Cooper is the way it lets you compare yourself to other refs. With this test, the ARs can't even compare themselves to the CRs, because the AR test is run on different pacing.

The way I'm reading it is that if the test is 15 laps long, then the duration goes for 35 minutes. The test is not how far can you go in the 20 min, it's can you complete the required number of runs -- for this WC it seems that 10 is the requirement, as they're not forcing the 15 laps.

[Wreave]

The way I'm reading it is that if the test is 15 laps long, then the duration goes for 35 minutes. The test is not how far can you go in the 20 min, it's can you complete the required number of runs -- for this WC it seems that 10 is the requirement, as they're not forcing the 15 laps.

As I read it, you must complete a minimum of 20 runs. If you fail one, you may continue. If you fail two, you're out. After the 20 runs (10 laps), you may continue, up to a total of 30 runs (15 laps).

You're correct in that it's not how far you can go in 20 (or 35) minutes. It's how long you can keep up the pace that's metered by the guy with the watch and the whistle.

Your score, if you want to look at it that way, is how many runs you are able to complete. 20 complete out of 21 attempts is the minimum standard. 30/30 is the max.

[bluedevils]

unless i have screwed up my math, this pace is equal to 3600 meters under a cooper. which is about 2 and 1/4 miles in 12 minutes. which is a sub 5.5 minute mile.

ok, it's not a continuous run. there is a brief rest between running legs. but i haven't been able to do anything like this since my 20's.

Your math is right. Doing 15 laps = 30 segments of 150m @ max 30 sec each. That is 4500m in 15 minutes (excluding the walking time and distance). x 80% = 3600m in 12 minutes. That’s a lot of distance to cover in 12 minutes and is basically a 5:20 mile pace which is really moving. The 30 sec walking break between each 150m running segment really isn’t all that much of a breather. Even if you are fit, the 150m in <= 30 sec will catch up with you eventually.

I’m in 3000-3100m 12min shape right now, which I consider good but not great. I would not be very confident in my ability to do 15 laps on this new test.

I'm almost curious enough to try this test on my own one of these days.

[MidwestRef]

Several of the officials in my association run the 150/50 test. We run the full 20 reps. It's really a brutal exam. My legs feel like lead by the 7th or 8th rep.

It is a great training exercise. I highly recommend it as a way to get in shape for the season. I usually run it twice a week. One time, I run the 150/50 regardless of time. Second, I run the 30 seconds/walk the 30 seconds. Hopefully, my times on the tests converge soon. :)