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Accurately measuring youth athletes’ standing height and body weight is essential for monitoring their growth and maturation. This guide is based on the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) standards and includes essential information to ensure proper procedures are followed while assessing your youth athletes.

Planning your Assessment Day

Communicate with athletes and parents

It’s crucial to clearly communicate the purpose of measuring youth athletes’ height and weight to:

• Explain the Purpose: Inform athletes and parents that these measurements are essential to better understand their development and manage them better. Emphasize that they help in tailoring training programs to individual needs and managing workload to reduce the risk of injury.
• Encourage Questions: Allow parents and athletes to ask questions to clarify any concerns they may have about the process.

Choose the right environment

• Suitable Lighting: Select an area with adequate lighting.
• Suitable Surfaces: Ensure there is a flat wall with no obstructions, and a flat hard floor surface to avoid inaccuracies in measurements.

Ensure the athletes are dressed appropriately

• Light Clothing: The athletes should wear shorts and a t-shirt to avoid any additional height from bulky clothing.
• No Hats or Hair Accessories: Shoes, hats, and any hair accessories that may affect the measurement should be removed.

Ensure that more than 1 coach is present at all times

Having at least two coaches present during measurements serves several purposes:

• Athlete Safeguarding: In case of any issues or concerns, having an extra coach ensures immediate support.
• Support and Comfort: Youth athletes may feel more comfortable with additional adults present, which can help reduce anxiety during the process.
• Accuracy Verification: One coach can focus on taking the measurement while the other ensures proper technique and alignment.

Ensure measurement sensitivity

Body weight in particular can be a sensitive topic, especially for youth athletes:

• Create a Supportive Environment: Approach the subject with care, emphasizing health over numbers. Focus on how measurements will aid in their athletic development rather than weight alone.
• Confidentiality: Ensure that all measurements are kept confidential and discussed only with relevant coaching staff.
• Positive Reinforcement: Frame discussions around body weight in a positive light, highlighting strength, fitness, and overall well-being rather than focusing solely on weight.

Ensure the right not to be measured

Respecting an athlete’s autonomy is vital:

• Provide Options: Clearly state that participation in measurements is voluntary. Athletes should feel empowered to decline if they are uncomfortable.
• Communicate Respectfully: Let them know that their feelings are valid, and they can choose not to participate without any negative consequences.

Measuring Youth Athletes’ Standing Height / The Stadiometer Method

Required Equipment

• Stadiometer: Ideally, this should be a wall-mounted stadiometer. Ensure it is calibrated and securely fixed to the wall. If you don’t have access to a wall-mounted stadiometer, a free-standing stadiometer will suffice.
• Flat, hard surface: The floor must be level and firm to avoid inaccuracies in measurement.

Measurement Procedure

1. Position the athlete:
   • Ask the athlete to stand with their heels together, feet flat on the ground, and arms relaxed at their sides.
   • Ensure that their back, buttocks, and head are touching the stadiometer. Their head should be in the Frankfort Plane, meaning the lower edge of your eye socket should be level with the notch above your ear (tragus) as pictured below.

2. Take the Measurement:
   • Lower the horizontal headpiece of the stadiometer gently until it touches the crown of the athlete’s head.
   • Make sure not to compress the hair or head; it should rest lightly on top.
3. Record the Athlete’s Height:
   • Read the measurement at eye level to avoid parallax error.
   • Record the athlete’s height in centimetres (cm) for accuracy.
4. Repeat for Accuracy:
   • For reliability, repeat the measurement a second time.
   • If there is a discrepancy greater than 0.5 cm between measurements, take additional readings until consistent results are achieved.

Measuring Youth Athletes’ Body Weight / The Calibrated Scale Method

Required Equipment

• Calibrated Scale: An electronic scale that is regularly calibrated to ensure accuracy. Ensure the scale has a tare function to reset the scale before each measurement.
• Flat, hard surface: The floor must be level and firm to avoid inaccuracies in measurement.

Measurement Procedure

1. Tare the Scale: to ensure it reads zero before the athlete is weighed.
2. Take the Measurement: ask the athlete to step onto the scale, ensuring they stand in the centre of the scale with even weight distribution.
3. Record the Athlete’s Body Weight: record the weight in kilograms (kg) to the nearest 0.1 kg, or pounds (lbs) to the nearest 0.1 lbs.

Conclusion

By following these guidelines based on the ISAK standards when measuring youth athletes, you can accurately record standing height and body weight to monitor their growth and maturation while fostering a positive environment that respects their individual needs and sensitivities. Read more about how regular monitoring can help you to identify hidden talent and develop the sports stars of tomorrow while reducing the risk of injury.

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