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Potential is measurable - passion isn't

Jamie Carey, Special to the News

Published December 19, 2005 at midnight

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Skeptical.

This was my original thought when I was first approached about Sports Potential Inc.

But I'm a wanderer at heart and I was incredibly curious about the assessment, so I decided to see what this testing was about.

The actual testing was completed in about an hour and a half. I was instructed to complete various tasks, both physically and mentally. These tests were aimed at gathering information about my body makeup and my physical skill sets. Once the testing was complete, it took about 2 minutes to transfer the information into the computer to view my results.

It turns out I should have been a soccer player.

But that's really not what Sports Potential is offering. Rather, it takes an individual's information and presents multiple sports in which a positive experience is most likely.

In my case, the numbers suggest being a soccer midfielder/defender, a softball infielder, a racquetball player and a basketball guard.

I have participated in all of these sports. Really, the only difference in them is that my heart falls into the basketball category. That kind of fire, residing from within, can't be predicted by Sports Potential or anyone else.

And that's why it offers more than one sports suggestion.

There are two aspects of the assessment I felt were most beneficial. The first is being able to compare my results to those of elite athletes within each specific sport and position. Looking at my results, I know that hand quickness is a tangible skill I need to improve. Secondly, I felt the referrals option, particularly for kids inquiring about new sports, can be highly beneficial. Many times, a kid may be interested in and have the skills for skiing, for example, and live in Phoenix with absolutely no idea how to get involved and participate. Having the ability to receive referrals based on area code is a great resource for individuals, leagues, coaches and national governing bodies.

My trip to California was well worth the journey and certainly alleviated my skepticism. Not only did I highly doubt that any protocol would select basketball as a possibility for my 5-foot-5 frame (on a good day), but I also felt the test would dead-end at one sport, instead of presenting an array of possibilities to ignite a potentially positive overall experience.

Honestly, if the test had resulted in basketball being my No. 1 sport - talentwise - I would have thought the assessment was rigged.

I do think this type of testing holds tremendous potential, but success and greatness do not equate to potential. Success is determined when nobody is watching, which is the true measure of passion.

Sports Potential aims at offering just that - potential. Once that is determined, it is up to the individual to make the experience whatever he or she wants it to be.

That being said, Sports Potential does have a lot to offer an athlete and does pertain to a wide array of athletes, whatever each individual's goals may be.

Jamie Carey, a former Horizon High School basketball standout, plays point guard for the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA and the Colorado Chill of the National Women's Basketball League.