CPSS Key Performance Indicator Identification 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which approach to KPI selection is recommended when limited research exists for a novel sport or discipline?
- Adopt KPIs from the closest analogous sport with expert adaptation (Correct answer)
- Use only subjective wellness questionnaires until research exists
- Avoid quantitative KPIs entirely
- Wait for peer-reviewed benchmarks before measuring anything
Correct answer: Adopt KPIs from the closest analogous sport with expert adaptation
Borrowing validated KPIs from analogous sports and adapting them with expert input is the most evidence-informed approach when sport-specific data is scarce.
Question 2: In youth athlete development, which KPI consideration is MOST critical compared to elite adult programs?
- Using absolute rather than relative performance values
- Accounting for biological maturation when interpreting results (Correct answer)
- Prioritizing sport-specific skill metrics over physical metrics
- Minimizing the number of KPIs to reduce cost
Correct answer: Accounting for biological maturation when interpreting results
Biological maturation profoundly affects physical performance in youth athletes, so failing to account for it leads to misinterpretation of KPI data.
Question 3: Which KPI best captures the technical efficiency of a cyclist's pedaling during a time trial?
- Average cadence
- Gross mechanical efficiency or power-to-oxygen cost ratio (Correct answer)
- Peak power output during sprint
- Heart rate at threshold
Correct answer: Gross mechanical efficiency or power-to-oxygen cost ratio
Gross mechanical efficiency quantifies how much of the metabolic energy input is converted to useful mechanical work, reflecting pedaling economy.
Question 4: A team sport performance scientist wants to track mental readiness as a KPI. Which validated tool is most appropriate?
- Profile of Mood States (POMS) or Hooper Index (Correct answer)
- Maximum isometric mid-thigh pull
- Cortisol salivary sample
- Body composition via skinfolds
Correct answer: Profile of Mood States (POMS) or Hooper Index
The Hooper Index and POMS are validated subjective wellness questionnaires that efficiently capture psychological readiness as a daily KPI.
Question 5: When should a sport scientist reconsider or retire an existing KPI from a monitoring system?
- After three consecutive seasons of stable data
- When it no longer discriminates between performance levels or responds to training (Correct answer)
- When a new technology can measure the same variable more precisely
- When athlete feedback suggests the testing is inconvenient
Correct answer: When it no longer discriminates between performance levels or responds to training
A KPI that loses discriminant validity or responsiveness to training no longer provides actionable information and should be replaced.
Question 6: In a combat sport (e.g., wrestling), which KPI most directly reflects competition-relevant anaerobic capacity?
- 30-second Wingate mean power relative to body mass (Correct answer)
- 6-minute walk test distance
- Resting lactate concentration
- Standing long jump distance
Correct answer: 30-second Wingate mean power relative to body mass
Relative Wingate mean power reflects sustained anaerobic output per unit of body mass, which is highly relevant to the energy demands of wrestling matches.
Question 7: Which KPI framework is used to ensure that selected indicators collectively cover all dimensions of athlete performance (physical, technical, tactical, psychological)?
- Holistic performance model or integrated performance profiling (Correct answer)
- Balanced scorecard adapted from business management
- Single-domain load monitoring system
- Athlete-reported outcome measures only
Correct answer: Holistic performance model or integrated performance profiling
A holistic performance model ensures KPI selection spans all relevant performance domains, preventing gaps in monitoring coverage.
CPSS Key Performance Indicator Identification 4
Which approach to KPI selection is recommended when limited research exists for a novel sport or discipline?