The Michigan State University (MSU) Motor Performance Study (MPS) was initiated in 1967 and was known across the United States for its unique blend of teaching, service, and research. Dr. Vern Seefeldt began the study as a means to begin research with children on-campus. The instructional portion of the program ended in 1999; data collection continued until 2004. The purpose of the MPS was to examine longitudinal relationships among physical growth, biological maturity, and motor skill acquisition in youth. Four distinct eras of research contributed to the design of the MSU MPS: a) The genetics and maturation period; b) The classification period, involving identification of the motor domain and factor structures of movement skills; c) The perceptual-motor era; and d) The physical fitness era. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe how each of the four research areas specifically contributed to the design and conduct of the MSU MPS.