Nike’s training programme - SPARQ Combines - is the proving ground for elite high school football players. An event where the very best attract the interest of college scouts. However, up until recently, the drill events were only about the numbers they could put up on a stopwatch. Nike asked us to bring SPARQ to the modern age.

A custom mobile app breaks down each player’s performance and probability of winning an athletic scholarship. Players could see how they compared to athletes in their class, position, and even against NFL players who recorded SPARQ ratings when they were in high school. Simple controls let them see what areas they needed to improve in, and how much improvement was needed to improve their SPARQ rating and likelihood of winning an athletic scholarship. They could then broadcast their numbers to the leader board on Facebook, directly from the app.

From a SPARQ Combine event to backyards across America, from a customised performance-based app and JumboTron broadcasting to do-it-yourself Facebook promotion to gaming integration that can provide off the field education - Nike Football has provided high school players with an indispensable tool kit. One that allows them to see where they stand, broadcast their results, and map out a plan for improvement.

We even integrated SPARQ into EA Sports NCAA Football Twelve for PlayStation - where SPARQ ratings became key criteria for selecting players in the Team Builder feature.