VALD and the National Scouting Combine Continue Precision Partnership for 2026

Naples, FL — November 2025 — The National Scouting Combine is pleased to announce the continuing partnership with VALD, a global leader in human-performance measurement technology, for the 2026 event at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples, Florida.

For several years, VALD’s advanced systems have supported the Combine’s mission, providing elite athletes with objective, reliable performance testing and giving scouts, coaches, and evaluators the confidence they need in the measurement process.

“VALD and the National Scouting Combine have worked together for several years now, and it’s been a privilege to support the event with the most reliable and objective technology available because elite athletes deserve elite testing,” said Devin Craig, Regional Manager – Northeast, VALD. “The SmartSpeed timing gates in particular have been a game-changer, enabling athletes to be tested to the thousandth of a second in a consistent, repeatable, and truly objective way — eliminating the variability of hand timing that’s traditionally been used.”

VALD’s technology underpins the Combine’s commitment to excellence. From the SmartSpeed timing gates to the broader suite of measurement tools — including those for strength, power, speed, asymmetry, and readiness — VALD empowers athletes to showcase their performance and provides evaluators with actionable data. VALD systems are widely used across sports, from track and field to team sports, by professional teams, combines, and performance programs nationwide, making them a natural fit for the Combine.

The National Scouting Combine’s leadership is equally enthusiastic about this sustained relationship.

“Our partnership with VALD reflects the National Scouting Combine’s commitment to giving athletes the most precise, reliable, and objective performance testing possible,” said Jimmy Kibble, CEO & Founder of Beyond Sports, LLC and the National Scouting Combine Foundation. “When athletes step onto the field, they deserve data they can trust — and thanks to VALD’s technology, scouts and coaches can make informed decisions with confidence. We’re proud to continue this collaboration for 2026, helping athletes showcase their talent at the highest level.”

This collaboration plays a key role in advancing athlete development and scouting innovation. VALD systems help create an environment where performance can be accurately measured, tracked, and compared — giving athletes a platform to demonstrate their full capability and giving scouts the data they can trust. As Craig noted, “This continued collaboration plays a key role in advancing athlete development and scouting innovation, giving evaluators dependable insights and helping athletes showcase their performance with confidence.”

By continuing this partnership into 2026, the Combine reaffirms its promise to athletes: that their performance will be captured in its truest form, with the highest integrity, and in a manner that reflects the elite level at which they compete and aspire to perform.

About VALD
VALD is a worldwide leader in human-measurement technology that empowers athletes, teams, and practitioners to objectively measure, monitor, and improve performance. VALD systems are used across sports, from track and field to team sports, by professional teams, combines, and performance programs at every level, helping athletes and evaluators alike achieve measurable success.