{shorts}: An R Package for Modeling Short Sprints

Abstract

Short sprint performance is one of the most distinguishable and admired physical traits in sports. Short sprints have been modeled using the mono-exponential equation that involves two parameters: (1) maximum sprinting speed (MSS) and (2) relative acceleration (TAU). The most common methods to assess short sprint performance are with a radar gun or timing gates. In this paper, we: 1) provide the shorts package that can model sprint timing data from these two sources; 2) discuss potential issues with assessing sprint time (synchronization and flying start, respectively); and 3) provide model definitions within the shorts package to help alleviate errors within the subsequent parameter outcomes.

Keywords

• sprinting
• speed
• profiling
• modeling
• force-velocity profiling