Youth Physical Activity and Sport

Physical activity allows kids to learn physical skills and improve their health and fitness. We know that youth participation in sports builds character, leadership skills, self-discipline, respect for authority, competitiveness, cooperativeness and self-confidence. The number one reason... FUN!

Research in sport psychology demonstrates that when young athletes have fun, they exert more effort, which directly influences their physical and psychological development, leading to performance enhancement.

Winning is inevitable in sport. When the pressure to win is NOT balanced with the enjoyment of participation, your athletes are susceptible to emotional exhaustion, leading to burnout or dropout. Looking at the research, children's sport, physical activity participation peaks between 10 and 13 years of age. For every ten participants, three or four will discontinue each year. Twenty five percent of kids discontinue sport or physical activity participation for reasons including a lack of fun, too much pressure or a dislike of the coach.

As a youth strength and conditioning specialist, my approach has always been to improve children's health and fitness through play. The training curriculum is dependent upon the age and level of development of the child. These "sensitive" periods of growth require specific training and coaching protocols, with outcomes determined through game play. The game of tag provides endless options for trainers and coaches.

Often what not-to-do is more effective than what to-do for improving training and coaching performance. For example, do NOT use fitness as punishment. It amazes me how common place this philosophy still is. In my observations, the overwhelming majority of young and teenage athletes have a negative association with fitness due to its use as a punishment or threat. Using fitness as punishment only feeds this negative mindset.

Do not substitute the learning process for winning on the weekend. Skill development, whether movement oriented, strength oriented or technical sports skills, lays the foundation for FUTURE SUCCESS. As a coach it is our responsibility to provide the best environment and transfer the best knowledge during our time with them that offers young athletes the opportunity to be the best they can be... in the future.

Effective coaching is efficient coaching. Sometimes better coaching isn't about adding more, but taking away. Recognizing what not to do will lead us toward what we need to do.