Soccer Speed Testing: A 10m and 20m Session for Academy Coaches

Use a 20 m lane with a 10 m split to collect two useful measures in the same run. The first split helps track short acceleration performance. The 20 m result shows how the player covers the longer timed section.

Choose a test slot you can repeat

Pick a consistent point in your training week and note recent matches or unusually hard sessions. If the next test takes place after a match or on a different surface, record that context. Test one group at a time and give the players the same warm-up and instructions.

Run one lane with a clear queue

Set timing points at 0, 10 and 20 m. Use a consistent standing-start offset, run through the finish and slow down beyond it. Put waiting players outside the detection area. One coach can call the next athlete while a second records the result and checks the split. If you work alone, prepare the order and confirm the athlete ID before each run.

Record both valid attempts and keep the split and total from the same run. Use the 20 m sprint setup guide to document the lane.

Review progress by player

Start with the player’s own baseline. If their 10 m time improves while the 20 m time stays stable, check the second split and the testing conditions. When a difference is small, review multiple comparable sessions before changing the training plan. Research with adolescent academy players shows that reliability can differ between distances and cohorts. Academy soccer speed-test reliability study

For an additional view of how a player runs after a build-up, run a separate flying 10 sprint test.

Request a MotionTrials demo if you want to test the setup with your athletes.

Sources

• Youth academy sprint test methods

• Academy player reliability data

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