Concurrent Validity and Reliability of Three Radar Based Ball Velocity Tracking Devices

Angeleau Scott; Yang Yang; Andrew Fry

Authors

Angeleau Scott University of Kansas - Jayhawk Athletic Performance Lab https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7917-3840
Yang Yang University of Kansas - Jayhawk Athletic Performance Lab https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3231-7295
Andrew Fry University of Kansas - Jayhawk Athletic Performance Lab and Fry Sports Performance LLC https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8171-7684

Keywords:

Consistency; Ball Speed; Technology; Baseball

Abstract

Radar devices are often used by sports performance practitioners to obtain objective ball flight and speed information. In order to make effective coaching decisions, the radar devices used must be reliable and valid. The purpose of the present study was to examine the concurrent validity of the three commercially available radar devices using ball velocity. Three radar devices, Pocket Radar, Trackman, and Stalker Radar, were used to track 100 pitches out of a ball machine across 5 different speeds (80.5 km/h, 96.6 km/h, 112.7 km/h, ICC=0.82 at 128.8 km/h, 144.9 km/h). Between all the devices, the radar devices showed moderate to good reliability at each of the 5 different speeds ( ICC=0.53 at 80.5 km, ICC=0.77 at 96.6 km/h, ICC=0.82 at 112.7 km/h , ICC=0.77 at 128.8 km/h, ICC=0.83 at 144.9 km/h). Based upon the good reliability for ball velocity measurements, when using a pitching machine with baseball players, the present findings suggest any of the devices to provide accurate readings for appropriate feedback to coaches and athletes.

References

Abdioglu, M., Akyildiz, Z., & Manuel Clemente, F. (2022). Concurrent validity and intra-unit reliability of the speedtrack x radar gun device for measuring tennis ball speed. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, 17543371221122027.

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for behavioral sciences. New York, NY: Routledge.

De Fazio, R., Mastronardi, V. M., De Vittorio, M., & Visconti, P. (2023). Wearable sensors and smart devices to monitor rehabilitation parameters and sports performance: an overview. Sensors, 23(4), 1856.

Düking, P., Fuss, F. K., Holmberg, H. C., & Sperlich, B. (2018). Recommendations for assessment of the reliability, sensitivity, and validity of data provided by wearable sensors designed for monitoring physical activity. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 6(4), e9341.

Hernández-Belmonte, A., & Sánchez-Pay, A. (2021). Concurrent validity, inter-unit reliability and biological variability of a low-cost pocket radar for ball velocity measurement in soccer and tennis. Journal of sports sciences, 39(12), 1312-1319.

Hopkins, W. G. (2000). Measures of reliability in sports medicine and science. Sports medicine, 30, 1-15.

Kimberlin, C. L., & Winterstein, A. G. (2008). Validity and reliability of measurement instruments used in research. American journal of health-system pharmacy, 65(23), 2276-2284.

Koo, T. K., & Li, M. Y. (2016). A guideline of selecting and reporting intraclass correlation coefficients for reliability research. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 15(2), 155- 163.

Li, R. T., Kling, S. R., Salata, M. J., Cupp, S. A., Sheehan, J., & Voos, J. E. (2016). Wearable performance devices in sports medicine. Sports health, 8(1), 74-78.

Makar, P., Silva, A. F., Silva, R. M., Janusiak, M., Smoter, M., & Clemente, F. M. (2024). The Agreement Between Bushnell and Stalker Radar Guns for Measuring Ball Speed in Throwing and Kicking. Applied Sciences, 14(22), 10476. https://doi.org/10.3390/app142210476

Murata, M., & Takahashi, H. (2021). Verification of the accuracy and reliability of the TrackMan tennis radar. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, 235(2), 154-160.

Sullivan, G. M. (2011). A primer on the validity of assessment instruments. Journal of graduate medical education, 3(2), 119-120.

Wong, R., Laudner, K., Amonette, W., Vazquez, J., Evans, D., & Meister, K. (2023). Relationships between lower extremity power and fastball spin rate and ball velocity in professional baseball pitchers. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 37(4), 823-828.