PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS BECOMING STANDARD FOOTBALL PRACTICE
"Would you rather be dog or a cat?" Think carefully about your answer if professional football is in your future. That's just one question football players may find on psychological tests to see how they "fit" with a team. These tests are standard for many NFL teams and are a growing trend in college as well as high school sports and corporations.
Robert Troutwine, an industrial psychologist in Liberty, MO, performs these psychological profiles for 10 NFL teams, several college and high school sports teams, and has profiled players for the new XFL.
Since 1984, Troutwine has done for the NFL what he previously did for years for corporate America: assess clients' potential employees. With the dawning of free agency and the kind of bonus money that is now being laid out, the need for as much information as possible about the potential of a draftee or a high-priced free agent has grown, and with it a new wing of NFL scouting.
"Initially there were a lot of skeptics," Troutwine said. "But my findings and my forecasts spoke for themselves. At one point, I did do interviews with players, but I don't do that anymore. It's too time-intensive at the combine. Questions are more efficient." Troutwine said it is revealing, for example, when he asks a player if he would rather be a cat or a dog. The athlete's answer, he maintains, says much about his mindset and NFL potential.
"I developed a 75-question test," Troutwine said. "Most questions have two choices: true or false or A and B. There's also a concentration drill that takes about 90 seconds and involves remembering different colors in a certain order. We send out engraved invitations to the players with the logos of the 10 teams we represent. Most are very cooperative.
"No one question is indicative of anything. But after they answer all of them and we assess them, trends develop, and we begin to learn about the players' motivations and personality.
"The dog or cat question is one we feel has a lot of symbolism. A dog is man's best friend. A cat is more independent. Players who go for dogs tend to like structure, and being part of a team is more important to them. Cats are guys who are more comfortable being a more solo contributor. You have to let him feel like he's making the decisions. Picking a cat or a dog is not the kiss of death. Saying you'd like to be a poodle might be a little problematic, though."
Three years ago, Troutwine assessed Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning for the Indianapolis Colts. It was his assessment that Leaf would have far more problems coping with early failures than Manning and that he might not react well under mounting pressures from the media and the public. His assessments were right on the money. He also said Manning's attention to detail was far superior to Leaf's. Manning became a star in his second season, while Leaf has immolated himself and is trying to start over.
Two years ago, Troutwine told Colts general manager Bill Polian that Edgerrin James was a better match for his team than Ricky Williams because James's personality was more adaptable to having a bigger star -- Manning -- on his team. Williams, Troutwine felt, needed to be the center of his team.
The Colts went for James for an assortment of reasons, not just the assessment of Troutwine, but it was a part of the picture. It is a part that has grown to the point at which the Chiefs, Chargers, Seahawks, Packers, Colts, Bengals, Bears, Eagles, Jaguars, and Panthers are all using him.
He also works with corporations, but he focuses all his efforts on such annual league events as the "combine," where all the top college talent was be weighed, measured, tested, interviewed, and now psychologically assessed. He and his assistants also attend the Senior Bowl, Blue- Gray Game, Hula Bowl, Gridiron Classic, and East-West Shrine Game to test and re-test the nation's top seniors. They write up reports on all the players and send them out knowing they will affect the football futures of many of them.
"Fit is an important part of every job situation. Because you don't fit with one organization doesn't mean you can't excel with another. But if you make a mistake with a guy who doesn't fit your style or what you want to do, you take a step back, and so does the company," says Troutwine.
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Editors: Bob is at 816-415-8400. His company's web page is www.troutwine.com. Please contact Steve Infanti 814-234-4419 or [email protected] if you need any assistance reaching Bob.
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