shorts: An R Package for Modeling Short Sprints

Short sprint performance is one of the sport’s most distinguishable and admired physical traits. Short sprints have been modeled using the mono-exponential equation that involves two parameters: (1) maximum sprinting speed (MSS) and (2) relative acceleration (TAU). The most common methods to assess short sprint performance are radar guns or timing gates. In this paper, we: 1) provide the {shorts} package that can model sprint timing data from these two sources; 2) discuss potential issues with assessing sprint time (synchronization and flying start, respectively); and 3) provide model definitions within the {shorts} package to help alleviate errors within the subsequent parameter outcomes.