The profiling of professional football players. 1984

G W Gleim

We examined one professional football team over the course of the 1979 season in an attempt to divide the team into four basic positional categories of Line, TE-LB, OB, and DB-WR. Numerous significant differences could be found between these groups with regard to speed, anthropometric data, strength, and performance tests. This indicates a great deal of homogeneity by position within the professional football roster. We then employed a statistical treatment called "discriminant analysis," which, based upon combinations of four variables (two for size, one for fat, one for strength), could place each player into his position with a very high degree of accuracy. This has important implications for selection of players when they make the transition from college to professional football. Finally, we again employed discriminant analysis within the positions, adding variables of muscle deficits, injury history, and playing time and were able to rank players into either the injured or noninjured categories. These equations had a sensitivity of 93.7 per cent and specificity of 96.1 per cent, with the overall injury rate of 38 per cent. This indicates that some characteristics may abet injury. The discriminant analysis allows for selection of variables to statistically profile the football player. This technique addresses the multiple factors that contribute to the success or injury of the player and should be of use in profiling any sport, especially on the professional level.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007596 Joints Also known as articulations, these are points of connection between the ends of certain separate bones, or where the borders of other bones are juxtaposed. Joint
D008297 Male Males
D009068 Movement The act, process, or result of passing from one place or position to another. It differs from LOCOMOTION in that locomotion is restricted to the passing of the whole body from one place to another, while movement encompasses both locomotion but also a change of the position of the whole body or any of its parts. Movement may be used with reference to humans, vertebrate and invertebrate animals, and microorganisms. Differentiate also from MOTOR ACTIVITY, movement associated with behavior. Movements
D009119 Muscle Contraction A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments. Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D010807 Physical Endurance The time span between the beginning of physical activity by an individual and the termination because of exhaustion. Endurance, Physical,Physical Stamina,Stamina, Physical
D010809 Physical Fitness The ability to carry out daily tasks and perform physical activities in a highly functional state, often as a result of physical conditioning. Fitness, Physical
D001823 Body Composition The relative amounts of various components in the body, such as percentage of body fat. Body Compositions,Composition, Body,Compositions, Body
D003201 Computers Programmable electronic devices designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations. Calculators, Programmable,Computer Hardware,Computers, Digital,Hardware, Computer,Calculator, Programmable,Computer,Computer, Digital,Digital Computer,Digital Computers,Programmable Calculator,Programmable Calculators
D005538 Football A competitive team sport played on a rectangular field.This is the American version of the game. It does not include non-North American football ( American Football,Football, American
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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