Assessment and Evaluation: Intake, Screening, and Needs Analysis
Assessment and Evaluation covers the intake, screening, and needs-analysis process that precedes program design. The exam asks you to choose assessments that match the client's sport, position, training status, and goals, and to know when to refer rather than test.
Screening first
- Informed consent, health history, and a readiness screen (for example, PAR-Q+ for general clients) come before any physical test.
- Red flags include chest pain, unexplained dizziness, uncontrolled hypertension, recent surgery, and pregnancy complications; refer to a physician.
- Record medications, prior injuries, training age, and schedule availability.
Needs analysis
- Sport demands: movement patterns, energy systems, common injury sites, positional roles, and competition calendar.
- Athlete profile: strengths, deficits, technique quality, and psychosocial factors.
- Set SMART goals with the client and agree on re-test dates.
Movement and capacity assessment
- Observe squat, hinge, push, pull, carry, and single-leg tasks. Use a screen such as the FMS or Y-Balance only if trained and if it answers a specific question.
- Body composition methods differ in error; use the same method and technician for follow-up.
Worked example
A college soccer midfielder with recurrent hamstring strains: needs analysis shows repeated sprinting, deceleration, and kicking. Priority assessments are hamstring strength (for example, a Nordic eccentric test), sprint split times, a change-of-direction test, and aerobic capacity. A bench press 1RM is low priority. Re-test after 6 weeks because the goal is injury resilience and repeated-sprint performance.
Traps
Testing before screening; copying a battery from another sport; changing the test protocol between retests; treating a single poor score as a diagnosis.