What Actually Happens During an EPP Assessment — Step by Step

We get asked this a lot. What does an EPP assessment actually involve? What do you do for 60–90 minutes? What does my child need to bring? What happens afterwards?

This is the complete walkthrough — everything that happens from the moment you arrive at Alexander Stadium to the moment your performance report lands in your inbox.

Before You Arrive

You'll receive a confirmation email with parking instructions for Alexander Stadium (Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2LR) and a brief preparation guide. We ask athletes to arrive warmed up where possible — a 10-minute jog and some dynamic stretching — and to wear appropriate sports footwear (astroturf or firm ground boots for the pitch surface, or trainers for any indoor elements).

Bring water. Wear comfortable performance clothing. The sessions take place on 3G artificial grass pitches at the stadium — British spring/autumn weather applies, so a base layer is sensible from October to April.

Arrival and Equipment Setup (5–10 minutes)

Your coach (Ben Royal, FA-qualified) meets you at the agreed pitch. Photon Sports timing gates and high-speed cameras are set up along the sprint corridor — a precisely measured 40m lane marked with ground references at 10m, 20m, 30m and 40m intervals.

The athlete is fitted with a Photon Sports reflective vest. This is a thin, lightweight garment worn over clothing that carries the motion capture sensors. It takes about 90 seconds to fit and doesn't restrict movement at all.

Your coach explains the session structure and answers any questions. Athletes who haven't tested before often need a moment to settle — the environment is professional but the approach is deliberately calm and low-pressure.

The Testing Battery (45–60 minutes)

1. Sprint Profiling (10–15 minutes)

The athlete completes a series of maximum-effort sprints over distances from 10m to 40m. Photon Sports captures split times at every gate — typically 10m, 20m, 30m, and 40m. Three to five trials are completed with full recovery between each. This produces the raw data for sprint time analysis and, crucially, the force-velocity profile.

2. Jump Testing (10 minutes)

Countermovement jumps and standing broad jumps are performed. Jump height, ground contact time, and reactive strength index are captured. This data provides power output metrics and, combined with the sprint data, a more complete picture of the athlete's explosive profile.

3. Change of Direction (10–15 minutes)

The 5-0-5 test is performed on both sides. This is where bilateral asymmetry — the hidden injury risk factor — is measured. Both left and right change of direction are tested independently, with three trials per side.

4. Additional Tests (optional, 10–15 minutes)

Depending on the athlete's sport and goals, additional tests may include the T-test (multi-directional agility), 505 with approach run, or specific movement patterns relevant to the athlete's primary sport position.

The Debrief (10 minutes)

Immediately after testing, your coach reviews the raw data with you and the athlete. Initial findings — sprint time ranking, obvious asymmetries, standout strengths or deficits — are discussed. This is the first conversation about what the data means and what comes next.

You leave the session with a clear verbal picture of the results and what the report will contain.

After the Session (48 hours)

Your full performance report is prepared and delivered to your email within 48 hours. It includes:

• All raw test data with age-group and sport-specific benchmark comparisons
• Force-velocity profile with deficit classification (force or velocity)
• Asymmetry analysis with clinical significance assessment
• Sprint mechanics observations from camera footage
• Personalised training prescription — specific recommendations for 1-to-1, classes, or home programme
• BE ELITE dashboard access with all data loaded

Your coach is available for a free 15-minute video call follow-up to walk through the report in detail. Most parents and athletes find this invaluable — the numbers make much more sense when talked through by someone who was there.

What Happens Next

The report tells you exactly what to do next. Some athletes need velocity-oriented sprint work. Some need unilateral S&C to address asymmetry. Some are well-balanced and just need structured progressive training. The prescription is specific to the data — not generic.

We recommend retesting every 8–12 weeks. This produces side-by-side progress data and keeps the training prescription current as the athlete develops.