Tips For Training Youth Athletes
At Performance Course, we get the pleasure of working with thousands of athletes each year. These athletes range from youth athletes who are in elementary school all the way to a few high-level, NFL players.
It is well known from Twitter and Instagram accounts that the majority of trainers love to work with higher level athletes and post the creative ways that they are preparing them for their sport. There is a lot of great information out there that can be accessed.
While we love working with our professional athletes, there is no doubt that the training these athletes receive is drastically different than what young elementary and middle school athletes need to be receiving.
While there is great information out there on training higher level athletes there seems to be a lack of information for the youth. However, there may not be as many resources for youth athletes, but there are a few great resources such as Joe Kenn’s Block Zero training, Jeremy Frisch and Brett Klika.
Whether you are a performance coach, sport coach or parent, here are a few tips to focus on when working with the young ones to ensure that we aren’t “training” them like a high level athlete.
1. Progress > Performance
When working with youth, it’s important to focus on progress as opposed to performance-based success. Focusing too much on winning and losing could take away from the progress they make. Instead, encourage them to view performances as a chance to monitor their progress.
2. Crock Pot > Microwave
This tip applies to all athletes, but in this regard it’s important to “slow cook” youth athletes as they learn and progress in their fundamental movement qualities. Youth-level athletes don’t need the type of training that high-level athletes need. Unfortunately, with the influence of social media, youth athletes are being exposed to training that isn’t meant for them. This is the wrong approach to take and can do more harm than good. Don’t take shortcuts in order to see short-term success. Instead focus on building a foundation and slowly progressing.
3. General Preparation > Specific Development
When it comes to training athletes, there are two ways that should be utilized to prepare athletes for whatever they are seeking to improve:
The first would be to use general development to prepare them with basic movement skills that don’t mimic what the athlete would do in a sporting event (i.e squatting, crawling, climbing, jumping). It’s extremely important to develop these qualities in a fun setting to build a foundation of movement.
The second way would be specific development which is the complete opposite of general development in that training is solely directed at playing a specific sport. General development in contrast focuses on the overall movement development of the athlete, not sport specific.
While kids need to be allowed to play sports and have fun doing so, the majority of their movement training needs to be general based. This will allow them to gain a capacity for movement that will help them learn skills later. If this window for general skills is missed then they will struggle with the development of coordination and motor control once the window has closed, which will interfere with future development.
These are just a few tips to consider when working with youth athletes. It’s important to stay in your lane when helping them to develop for future success.
