| Developing sports training programs for youths | | | | look at success early in the athlete's career as the |
| requires more profound knowledge, a more involved | | | | best measurement of their own efforts. The real |
| mind-set and different tools than creating programs | | | | challenge, ethically and professionally, is to |
| for adults. The demand for services that teach | | | | acknowledge that the coach's actions today can |
| young people sports skills - particularly those that help | | | | decide the long-term future of the athlete, and to |
| develop motor abilities and basic athletic techniques - | | | | evaluate the training methods according to the years |
| is increasing steadily in the United States. Countless | | | | following high school and possibly college. |
| performance facilities and fitness centers are running | | | | A youth coach should always choose training |
| programs for 7- to 16-year-olds, with the main | | | | methods with the long-term career in mind, which |
| emphasis on speed and agility programs for youths | | | | sometimes might mean compromising short-term |
| playing baseball, football, soccer and basketball. | | | | success. Are you ready to do this for the good of |
| Kids' lack of recreational activity and the alarming | | | | the child, or is it too important to win today at the |
| trend of early specialization in sports are two of the | | | | expense of tomorrow? Obviously, one can be a |
| reasons why sports training programs for youths can | | | | successful youth athlete and a successful master |
| be beneficial in terms of movement skill development, | | | | athlete - the optimal situation. The greatest dangers |
| weight management and general fitness. However, | | | | to long-term development are premature |
| the quality of the services and the child's interest are | | | | specialization, high-intensity training or too many |
| at risk if proper guidelines and specific approaches are | | | | competitions. Lack of foundational athletic skills or |
| neglected in the heat of a profitable moment. It is a | | | | training at too high an intensity can stunt the |
| fact that creating sports training programs for youths | | | | development of a young athlete as well. |
| requires more profound knowledge, a more involved | | | | 6. Safety and Productivity |
| mind-set and different tools than creating programs | | | | A safe atmosphere is a prerequisite for learning, |
| for adults. | | | | success and fun - and indeed, everyone says they |
| With that in mind, the following eight concepts should | | | | make safety a priority in their youth programs. While |
| make up the core philosophy of any successful | | | | acknowledging that accidents can happen even when |
| sports training program for youths: | | | | risk management is properly handled, planning and |
| 1. Children Are Not Small Adults | | | | running well structured and instructed programs is |
| Coaches often are not educated enough in children's | | | | what secures a program's physical safety. |
| and youth exercise physiology - added to which, | | | | Beyond that, mental and social safety are just as |
| they are pressured to always win. Too many of | | | | important to a program's success. Mental safety |
| them design training programs according to the goals | | | | thrives in an atmosphere where there is freedom |
| and abilities of adults. The intensity and duration of | | | | within boundaries and discipline through caring. A |
| the drills, and the drills themselves, often resemble a | | | | productive mental atmosphere is created by clear |
| training session for mature athletes. | | | | rules and instructions, and a "lead by example" |
| I sometimes watch a football team of 10- to | | | | attitude. Children need to know and understand the |
| 12-year-olds conditioning in the field by my house. | | | | rules, and see that instructors take the rules |
| When I see the team running sprints in the heat in | | | | seriously, too. If a coach tells players to respect their |
| full gear, running lap after lap and falling to the | | | | teammates and then proceeds to mock a particular |
| ground, I begin to ponder the objective of the drill. | | | | player, the concepts of mutual respect and |
| My guess is that the goals are metabolic | | | | adherence to rules disappear. More than any other |
| development and, possibly, mental toughness. Yet, | | | | group, young people require that their coaches exhibit |
| because of the young body's inability to respond to | | | | a great deal of character and maturity. |
| the given training modality, it is not clear whether the | | | | The coach is also responsible for the social safety of |
| goal of this training will translate to success on the | | | | the group, and each child needs opportunities to |
| gridiron. In other words, even if those young athletes | | | | express him or herself without negative peer |
| develop physically and mentally through that drill, the | | | | pressure. Bullying cannot be part of a successful |
| lack of running technique and poor movement skills | | | | children's program or team. Little "tough guys" on the |
| under fatigue won't likely translate in a positive way | | | | team cannot be allowed to step up and take charge. |
| to the actual playing of the sport. The same drill | | | | The coach has to make the rules clear and follow |
| might be excellent for the athletes who are able to | | | | them, too. |
| utilize their advanced motor skills and reap the | | | | 7. Do What You Can Do |
| benefits metabolically, but not their younger | | | | How do you teach a new skill? Are you able to |
| counterparts. This example demonstrates only one | | | | demonstrate an exercise or drill with the attitude and |
| situation in one sport, but it can be seen in one shape | | | | technique that you demand from your athletes? The |
| or form throughout youth sports. | | | | rule of thumb with children is: Only teach what you |
| 2. Athletes First, Players Second | | | | can do and show yourself. You can explain the drill in |
| Coaches are often tempted to teach and practice | | | | great detail, but the demonstration will decide how |
| game-specific skills more than general athletic skills, | | | | the drill will be executed. It's a physically demanding |
| since game-specific skills are the ones that eventually | | | | task, but coaches should always prepare to |
| determine which team wins and which loses. Limited | | | | demonstrate the exercise as well as they possibly |
| training time and people's high expectations of | | | | can. |
| success can also lead to this exaggerated emphasis | | | | Work on one area of emphasis at a time and give |
| on developing sport-specific skills. Development of | | | | specific cues such as "lift knees higher" or "hold it for |
| general athletic skills, such as jumping, landing, | | | | the count of three." Always initiate the corrective |
| skipping, lunging, twisting and hopping lay the | | | | feedback with a positive comment and search for |
| foundation for game-specific skills and is vital to | | | | strengths in the performance to accelerate the |
| becoming a healthy and successful athlete. Narrowing | | | | development in those areas: "Alex, excellent |
| the variety of movement skills before the athletic | | | | footwork on the shuffle - show me if you can keep |
| foundation has been laid can risk a child's long-term | | | | the toes pointing forward on the next round." |
| development and suffocate his or her true potential. | | | | The attention span in new learning is short. In |
| Injuries - particularly overuse injuries - at an early age | | | | teaching, you can move past this potential stumbling |
| are often a sign of excessive game-specific training | | | | block by giving the same exercise repeatedly while |
| at the expense of general fitness and motor skills. | | | | modifying it a bit each time. For example, a single leg |
| Learning how to incorporate the components of | | | | balance can be practiced as a timed balance test, a |
| athletic development in the training program is key to | | | | passing drill on one leg and a tag game on one leg. |
| the creation of a successful, child-oriented sports | | | | After the basic movement skill is taught, it is time to |
| program. It is good to remember that athletes | | | | practice it in the more randomized setting of a game. |
| practice these skills throughout their career to | | | | The game will show you whether the skill was really |
| improve their game-specific performance and to | | | | learned, and whether you can expect it to be |
| prevent injuries. | | | | transferred to the sport situation. |
| 3. An Age-Sensitive Approach | | | | 8. Keep It Simple |
| Coordination, balance, speed, flexibility, agility, | | | | Rarely does a practice session allow enough time to |
| strength and endurance are all important components | | | | accomplish everything from athletic development to |
| of human movement and sport performance. The | | | | sport-specific skills. If practice takes place one to |
| different stages of a child's growth and development | | | | three times per week, it is a good idea to give simple |
| determine which motor skills should be emphasized in | | | | tasks as homework. The short bursts of independent |
| training programs. For example, speed and agility | | | | exercise will accumulate little by little and show results |
| progress optimally during the "skill hungry" years of 8 | | | | over the long term. The homework also teaches |
| to 12, whereas strength and endurance become | | | | accountability and the importance of daily physical |
| important in subsequent years. A 10-year-old boy is | | | | activity. |
| at his peak period to enhance acceleration speed and | | | | It is a great idea to always start the training the |
| change of direction through games like tag or short | | | | same way and create an opening and warm-up |
| shuttle runs. Drills that incorporate multidirectional hops | | | | protocol so that children can eventually do it without |
| on a single leg are well absorbed by children age 8 to | | | | instruction. A combination of exercises done in a |
| 12. | | | | logical order will not only prepare the body for the |
| During puberty, on the other hand, some of the fine | | | | practice, but also switch on the mind so that it is |
| motor skills regress as the body adapts to huge | | | | ready to respond and absorb. If you decide to give |
| changes in height and muscle mass. A primary | | | | homework, leave time at practice to observe the |
| objective during this awkward time should therefore | | | | learning results, and encourage the most active home |
| be learning basic movement patterns and exercises | | | | students. |
| for dynamic flexibility and foundational strength. | | | | Non-programmed recreational play is the most |
| Exercises such as lunging or single-leg squat variations | | | | important time to develop motor skills and to help |
| in all planes combine the objectives of strength, | | | | ensure an athletic and healthy future. Youth sports |
| flexibility and coordination, and help the body maintain | | | | coaches need to accept that playtime with friends |
| and enhance athleticism even during the clumsier | | | | might be more beneficial for children than any |
| periods of physical maturation. | | | | organized activity offered, including the sport practice |
| The developmental stages before and during puberty | | | | that they coach. The culture of free play is vanishing, |
| should focus on children's strengths, not weaknesses. | | | | and youth sports enthusiasts should be in the |
| Later, during the high school years, will be the time | | | | trenches fighting to preserve it. It is the most |
| for youngsters to refine their athletic skills by | | | | important of nature's athletic reserves, and the best |
| incorporating all the areas of movement training into | | | | homework coaches can give. |
| the program. Flexibility becomes much more | | | | Operational Tips for Youth Sports Training Programs |
| important, and strength and endurance abilities are | | | | Create solid core values for the program. A |
| better absorbed at this stage than earlier. | | | | successful children's program needs to have a solid |
| It is important to recognize, also, that each individual | | | | foundation of values and guidelines. Everyone |
| has a different developmental pace. The aggressive | | | | affiliated with the program must be able to |
| push to "peaking" in high school sports, and even | | | | communicate its core values and objectives. A set of |
| earlier, often neglects the physiological needs of | | | | values or a mission statement is the foundation on |
| potentially great athletes. As a matter of fact, many | | | | which all the program variables are based. The ethical |
| internationally successful athletes found their specific | | | | foundation gives validity to the program and will |
| sport in college or even later. | | | | enhance its longevity. |
| 4. It Must Be Fun | | | | Educate parents and the public. Another role of a |
| The importance of fun is often neglected or | | | | successful youth program is to educate the people |
| misunderstood in youth sports. A persistent | | | | involved. Every youth sports program looks the same |
| viewpoint in this country is that the only thing that | | | | on the advertisement poster or flyer, but the |
| brings results is hard work, even with respect to | | | | contents vary dramatically. How can parents make |
| children and physical activity. Sometimes people's | | | | educated decisions for their kids if they rely on |
| limited understanding is that fun means telling jokes | | | | marketing materials? Administrators and coaches |
| between drills, or that everyone is laughing | | | | need to arrange situations to meet with the parents |
| hysterically all the time. Often people want to | | | | to share important knowledge that can benefit their |
| separate result-oriented activity from fun because | | | | children. Demos and workshops for teachers and |
| they cannot connect results and fun in their own | | | | other coaches are also an effective way of sharing |
| minds. What is "fun" - and can it really be an | | | | information. Practical, hands-on situations will make a |
| important part of performance enhancement? | | | | lasting impression and transfer learning into teaching. |
| It is striking how much better one learns something if | | | | Choose great role models as instructors. Why do |
| one has fun doing it. Emotions are a big part of | | | | we think that basically anyone without a criminal |
| multi-dimensional human systems. Emotions are tightly | | | | record can teach children? Does that reflect how we |
| connected to physical performance and to the | | | | value the future of our children, or just our |
| response generated by physical activity. Motivation or | | | | ignorance? Coaching and teaching children is a far |
| inspiration enhances learning on a cognitive as well as | | | | more influential responsibility than instructing adults, |
| on a physiological level, and that is why fun is so | | | | and should be taken very seriously. Coaching children |
| important. | | | | does not require a Ph.D., but rather a genuine caring |
| "Fun" can be defined as a balanced combination of | | | | for children and a desire to learn more about |
| skill and challenge. A positive, fun experience can be | | | | coaching, teaching and instructing youths. Who does |
| created if the task is challenging enough but | | | | not remember the elementary school physical |
| rewarding, as well. Sometimes fun is expressed by | | | | education teacher or the coach whose influence still |
| laughter, but it can also take the form of a deep | | | | carries over in our lives? Every youth coach is a role |
| feeling of inner satisfaction. How do you know if the | | | | model, and hopefully is aware of it. |
| program you are running is fun? Are the children | | | | Envision the purpose beyond the score. We |
| coming back for more, week after week and month | | | | need to acknowledge that we are in the business of |
| after month? Fun is really the only thing that is going | | | | improving children's quality of life and creating a |
| to keep children coming back to practice. | | | | lifetime interest in health and fitness. We have a |
| Evaluate your program by the number of children | | | | crucial role in helping children obtain the physical, |
| who start and finish it. In addition, see how many | | | | mental and social tools and abilities that will help them |
| come back, and how many refer others to future | | | | be successful in the future. Children learn most |
| programs. | | | | effectively by doing and moving instead of just |
| 5. Long-Term Development, Not Short-Term Success | | | | sitting and thinking, and the sports field is the |
| Are you sure that your coaching philosophy will help | | | | classroom where they learn about life. Emotions such |
| the athletes in their careers beyond high school and | | | | as satisfaction and joy, as well as disappointment and |
| college? Does your training approach as a coach of a | | | | frustration, are all part of sports. Youth coaches are |
| young athlete vary depending on the planned age of | | | | in the optimal position to mentor young people with |
| peaking? Are your coaching and training methods an | | | | their words of encouragement and correction and, |
| important part of the progressive development to | | | | even more so, through their example. Every child |
| athletic maturity? And if so, why? | | | | benefits from physical activity, athletic or not, and |
| Coaches might not always realize that the decisions | | | | our job is to help them stick to it over time. For |
| they make in their training programs could be | | | | some, it means the Olympics. For others, it means |
| determining when the athletes reach the peak of | | | | simply staying happy and healthy. |
| their competitive careers. Youth coaches tend to | | | | |