Since January the Nike SPARQ combines have been held in 12 different cities across the United States (the 13th and final location is Portland on June 8th) and has allowed athletes from all over the country compete with each other. Though the combines are designed for athletes in the graduating classes of 2014, 2015 and 2016 who are probable varsity athletes for the 2013 fall season, a select 2017 (current 8th grade) athletes have competed and held their own.
Now in their 10th year, the Nike Combines test athletes offer an opportunity to earn a SPARQ Rating by competing in the 40-yard dash (twice, fastest time kept), vertical jump (highest jump kept), the 20-yard shuttle (twice, fastest time kept) and the kneeling power ball throw (twice, farthest throw kept). If players are not satisfied with their results, they may scratch them so they are not reported.
Having attended one of the Nike SPARQ Combines gives each athlete the opportunity to get professionally SPARQ tested. SPARQ stands for speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness. The rating comes from a series of sport-specific tests and gives athletes a chance to see their strengths and weaknesses.
The alumni of the Nike Combines read like a whoâs who of current NFL stars including Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals), Andre Johnson (Houston Texans), Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers) and Haloti Ngata (Baltimore Ravens) as well as thousands who have gone on to play football at the collegiate level.
Here are some of the top 2017 athletes who have attended a Nike Sparq combine this season:
Michael Carter out of Navarre, Florida has won a Football University (FBU) National Championship, been named an Eastbay Youth All-American and been named a National Underclassmen (NUC) camp MVPâand thatâs all in the past two seasons. The current 8th grader attended the SPARQ combine in New Orleans and walked away with the highest 2017 rating in the country this camp season with a 58.65. He measured in at 5â6.5â and 161 pounds with the chiseled frame of a high school athlete. His 4.92 time in the 40-yard and 4.53 were both equally as impressive.
Kalia Davis, a big and rangy OLB is another Florida athlete who stood out at the SPARQ combine in New Orleans. A perfect fit in a 4-3 scheme, Davis measured in at 6â0â and 191 lbs. giving him good size for a 2017 athlete. Davis tossed the 6.6 lb. medicine ball a 2017-best 34.5 inches and ran the shuttle in an impressive 4.85 to help give him a 57.15 overall SPARQ Rating.
The third highest SPARQ Rating in the 2017 class went to Anachack Phomithirath with a 51.27 overall. Phomithirath, a running back, turned in a very balanced performance including a 5.13 in the 40-yard and a 4.6 in the shuttle. At 5â6.5â and 157 pounds, Phomithirath tossed the medicine ball 30 inches and also turned in a 30.4 vertical.
Other Top performers:
Levaun Lewis: SPARQ Rating â 49.74
Anthony Huey: SPARQ Rating â 49.17
Camrin Grows: SPARQ Rating â 42.75
Josh Bruce: SPARQ Rating â 42.03
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