Sports Performance for the Developing Athlete

Kids ages 8-12, the developing youth sports athletes, often have high hopes of making it to the professional level! Many aspire to play the game they grow up loving as a career. Many parents share similar goals for their developing youth athletes. The challenge is that there are only a few teams, and the competition for those spots is, for most sports, worldwide. Though the goal of becoming a pro may be tough, the lessons and experiences that kids gain through youth sports—both in terms of their sport and their interactions with other athletes, parents, and the memories created with their own families—are truly special. Here are three benefits of adding physical training to the developing youth athlete’s schedule.

Building Confidence for the youth athlete:

The many youth athletes we’ve worked with and developed often show a noticeable increase in confidence within just a couple of weeks—both on and off the ice/field. Developing a foundation of strength, balance, effective movement, competition, and fun creates a belief in their abilities and developing skills. The mental side of being able to move well and powerfully creates a new mental state in the sport. In our last article, we mentioned that youth athletes need to get stronger. Increasing the body’s ability to move well and move powerfully shifts their mindset and boosts self-worth. The youth athlete may not fully understand it, but it happens organically—and often, that’s the best way!

Long-Term Power development  for the youth athlete:

Teaching the body to move well and move powerfully will help in the short term in the sport, but it will also create a strong foundation for life, even when the memories of these experiences are in the rearview mirror. When youth athletes learn to challenge their bodies at a young age, it sticks as a healthy and effective habit for life!

Body Synergy foundation for the developing youth athlete:

The young athlete has relatively little testosterone. The goal for the youth athlete, prior to age 12, is to get the body to move well and in synergy. Creating the strongest shot, the greatest stability, balance, and, in general, allowing the body to adjust well to continuous changes in center of mass and height is crucial. It can be challenging to hit a growth spurt, experience foot growth, or see limb growth, and still perform at a high level. The more the youth athlete works on moving well and understanding how their body moves in space, the easier the consistent transition becomes. By allowing the youth athlete to build a foundation for movement, they will be better equipped to make the necessary adjustments for success, both in their sport and in life.

A Path for youth athlete success:

Sports are meant to be fun. The lessons and experiences that come from them are essential and truly help develop the young individual. Confidence, strength, dealing with challenges, and experiencing success—so many life lessons are gained from playing sports. Although sports today are extremely competitive, they provide youth athletes with opportunities to experience challenges and develop into their full potential, even if they may not make it to the pros.

#unleashthepotential

Written by:
Kirill Vaks
BA, CSCS

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Voorhees Flyers Training center.

The Hollydell ice arena, in the main building.