We usually will watch practice and make evaluations in the initial stages of training. We also will do extensive testing during the general prep and specific prep to get ideas of their strengths and weakness.
Also, It's probably important to state that the majority of our evaluation in normal training sessions. During these times, we can see the day to day differences and get a sense of how things are going.
We do a series of formal tests throughout our initial training cycles - once competition begins formal testing is gradually phased out. During the competition, we are doing posturally and gait evaluations throughout all of training to make sure the athlete can perform and making appropriate interventions.
So in these cases we really evaluate the warm-up and make sure the athletes is in a state to perform. In terms of formal testing we do several traditional test like jump tests (SLJ, STJ, 5 Bound, 10 Bound); speed tests (30m, 10m fly, 30m fly); Specific Work Capacity (120m, 150m, 250m, 300m, 450m, 500m, 600m); Weight Room (Clean, Snatch, Squat, Bench).
-Kebba Tolbert, Harvard Track Coach