A Coaches Dozen: 12 FUNdamental Principles for Building Young & Healthy Athletes

1. A Coaches Dozen:12 FUNdamental Principles for Building Young & Healthy Athletes Avery Faigenbaum, Ed.D., FACSM, FNSCA Dept. of Health & Exercise Science The College of New Jersey

2. Youth Sport Participation

3. What are we really trying to do with these kids? Win games? Adult Health? Adult Exercise? Childhood Health?

7. Health Club Membership, Under 18 yrs. (IHRSA, 2006) +58% Millions

8. What does it take to be a youth coach?

9. 12 FUNdamental Principles Build a Strong Foundation

10. Principle #1Young athletes are not miniature adults • Chronological age • Biological age • Training age • Emotional differences • Social differences • Reasons to be active • Responses to training

11. Physiologic Development and Performance in Boys and Girls Performance Variable Age (years)

12. Sensitive Period Possible Outcomes of Exercise Training (Rowland, 2001) ??? Physiologic Variable Age (years)

13. How much is too much? Sunday = 1 hour Monday = 2.5 hours Tuesday = 5.5 hours Wednesday= 5 hours Thursday = 2.5 hours Friday = 5 hours Saturday = 5.5 hours 27 hours

14. Sensitive Period An Additional Outcome of Excessive Exercise Training(Adapted from Rowland, 2001) Untrained Trained Overtrained 12 ??? 10 8 Physiologic Variable 6 4 2 0 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Age (years)

15. Principle #2Value Preparatory Conditioning

16. Overuse Injuries in the Young Athlete(Dr. Lyle Micheli, Children’s Hospital Boston) • Training errors • Environment/equipment • Anatomic malalignments • Growth • Muscle-tendon imbalance • Underlying disease states • Cultural deconditioning

17. Physical Activity for Youth (Faigenbaum, SCJ, 2001) Sport Competition Sport Training FUNdamental Fitness General Conditioning Lifestyle Physical Activities

18. Participation in sports should evolve out of preparatory fitness conditioning Plan for success

19. Potential Benefits of Youth Strength and Conditioning • Increase strength • Increase power • Improve body composition • Enhance BMD • Improve sports performance • Reduce sports injuries

20. At what age can children start strength training?

23. Principle #3Avoid Sport Specialization Before Adolescence 80-20 Rule

24. Developmental Symmorphosis No single component should develop faster than the rest of the system as a whole

25. The Developing Brain Paul Thompson, UCLA Laboratory of Neuroimaging MRI scans of children and teens, 15 years of brain development

27. Principle #4Enhance Physical Literacy

28. Childhood Obesity is Up *Physical Literacy is Down *

30. Become Aware of Weaknesses Identify weaknesses Identify strengths ABC’S Agility Balance Coordination Strength Awareness breeds success

31. Earn the Right

32. Principle #5Better to Undertrainthan Overtrain • Sports practice • Sports conditioning • “Private” conditioning • Part-time job • School, family….

33. 1972 2010

34. More is Just More Training + Restoration = Adaptation Training + Training = Maladaptation Red Zone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Under-recovery > Under-performance

35. Value Less Intense Training • Learning required concentration & interest • Focus on practicing skills correctly • Well-planned activities can maximize recovery Anyone can make an athlete tired

36. Principle #6Focus on Positive Education Play is the work of childhood

37. What is fun?

38. Principle #7Maximize Recovery

39. 1.Cool-down 2. Post-exercise food 3. Stay hydrated 4. Contrast shower 5. Massage 6. Vary workouts 7. Music 8. Socialize 9. Visualization 10. Adequate sleep Recovery Strategies for Young Athletes

40. Sleep & High School Students • AAP, adolescents require 9-10 hours/night • Sleep survey to >3000 9th-12th graders • Wolfson & Carskadon, Child Development, 1998 • Median amount of sleep was 7.5 hrs • 25% reported sleeping 6.5 hrs or less • Sleep survey to athletes & nonathletes • Faigenbaum, et al, SCJ., 2002 • Average amount of sleep was 6.6 hrs • No difference between athletes and nonathletes • 94% of the athletes noted they need more sleep

41. Alcohol Intoxication • Inability to focus • Decrease alertness • Lack of motivation • Poor decision making • Decrease reaction time • Decreased strength • Sleep deprivation • Inability to focus • Decrease alertness • Lack of motivation • Poor decision making • Decrease reaction time • Decreased strength Poor Performance

42. Principle #8:It’s Not What You Take It’s What You Do

43. Principle #9Get Connected: Don’t be a Sub • “Feeling connected” • Listen & show interest • Catch kids being good • Be enthusiastic • Show & tell • Be a positive role model

44. Principle #10Make a Long-Term Commitment www.softball.bc.ca

48. Fundamental stage ~6-9 LTAD: General to Specific • Learning to train~9-12 Training to train, ~12-16 Training to compete, ~16-18 Training to win

49. Principle #11There Are No Secrets Need qualified coaching, well designed practice sessions and a long-term commitment

50. Principle #12Never Stop Learning Own experiences & share ideas Peer-reviewed journals Professional conferences Talk with colleagues