Elite athletes, teams, and coaches are most interested in research findings with high ecological validity that can be directly applied to improving health and performance in their sport—appreciating that the limits of human performance happen in the field, and not in the laboratory.

Most field-based studies are integrated into larger training camps or competitions, requiring the management of complex collaborations and partners, which can include athletes, teams, coaches, sport organizations, researchers, event organizers, academic institutions, and medical staff, as well as sport governing bodies, anti-doping agencies, funding agencies, and corporate and host communities.

The ideal scientific design and implementation of field-based research studies involving competition and/or training in elite athletes/teams requires: (1) researchers who have intimate knowledge of a sport/event; (2) the trust of the athletes and coaches; (3) exceptional logistical and organizational skills; and (4) rigorous scientific expertise to apply the various field-based methodologies.

The context and goals of a field-based research project should inform the choice of data collection method(s), as each approach to assessing physiological, nutritional/energetic, biomechanical, musculoskeletal, cognitive, and psychosocial factors has various logistical and compliance considerations independently and collectively as a research program.