Skills Test Description

What Creates the Total Score?

The total score is calculated by weighting the scores of separate drills, each of them 20 seconds in length.  The scores are generated by counting many factors during the drill including number of bounces, dribble time, control time, dribble consistency, and finger-tip control. The highest score ever recorded is a 90, while the theoretical best possible score is a 100.

Drill Summary and Scoring

We select drills based on three criteria:

1. It must replicate a mix of skills required to be successful with the ball.
2. It must be repeatable in the same way by every player.
3. It can isolate a specific skill element that is measureable.

We select between 3 and 5 drills, depending on the age of the player, each 20 seconds long.   The stationary drills for intermediate to advanced players include a behind the back speed dribble, a two ball V dribble, a figure 8 speed dribble, a left hand V dribble, and finally a right hand V dribble.

The stationary drills for our youth athletes include a right-hand speed dribble, left hand speed dribble, a two ball speed dribble, and a front cross over dribble.

Skill Scoring (Control, Speed, Consistency, Coordination, LH vs. RH)

1. The Control score shows how well the player maintained control throughout all 100 seconds of his drills. It equals the total number of seconds the player had the ball under control. Each time ball control is lost, the ball stops counting until the player restarts his dribble. A 100 is the max control score that can be achieved.   Good control scores begin at 90.
2. The Speed score represents dribble speed measured by how many bounces recorded for all of the drills plus the average speed of each dribble. The faster the speed and the more bounces registered, the higher the score.    This measurement indicates how the player has trained his hands to respond quickly to the ball and is an indication of a player’s ability to break a defensive player down off the dribble.  Good speed scores begin at 65 for point guards.   Excellent speed scores exceed 75.
3. Consistency scores represent how similar each dribble looks to every other dribble throughout all drills.  Higher scores mean that there is very little time or height difference between each dribble.   High Consistency scores begin at 55, with the best ever recorded as an 87.   Strong ballhandlers have trained their muscles to put the ball exactly where they want it with precision every time, increasing consistency.
4. Coordination scores measure how well you can do two things at once.  This score represents your two ball dribble score with a maximum possible score of 100.
5. RH v. LH % shows the difference measured between the two hands.  A positive number shows a strong Right Hand tendency, while a negative number shows a strong left hand tendency.   Excellent scores are less than 2.5% difference in scoring, while anything greater than 10% requires attention.