I have been training high school athletes for almost 10 years. Along my journey I have made mistakes, but always try to learn from my mistakes in order to become a better coach.
Here are 5 tips to keep in mind when you’re working with young athletes:
1. Coach, don’t just drill
Kids are pretty smart. They will pick up on things quickly. Try to pick 3-5 teaching points for each lift and always use the same points when teaching. There is a huge difference between coaching and just running kids through lifts.
For example, here are some basic cues I use for the squat:
- Feet hip width, toes pointed slightly out
- Drive your knees out wide as you descend into the squat, keep your knees over toes. Heels down!
- Keep your posture tall and maintain a flat spine through out the lift
Yup! that’s it…for now. I will hammer home the finer points once I see the athlete move, but I think it’s important to use the KISS method. Keep it simple stupid.
2. Practice the basics
If you look at my training programs for these athletes, they are very simple. For lower body lifts I teach split stance, single leg and bilateral lifts. If I can get my athletes to nail a basic deadlift, split squat and single leg squat, I am a very happy coach.
I practice these every day and focus on the basics because I would rather have my athlete be proficient at 8-10 lifts than stink at 20. Don’t worry about thinking that the program is boring. If your athletes are getting stronger and you have the numbers to prove it, they won’t be bored at all.
3. Decelerate
We all love jump training, but what about the landing? What about when our athletes change direction?
In my opinion, deceleration training is vital to performance and injury prevention. Non-contact injuries are increasing at an alarming rate these days. Teach your young athletes how to change direction and land safely and effectively and it will do wonders for them.
So you don’t think that landing and deceleration is important? How’s this look?
These exercises are not as sexy as improving your vertical jump by 10 inches, but they’ll keep your athletes healthy.
4. Sports specific training is not the answer
I have an idea. Let’s do ladder drills with a hockey stick in our hands. We can even shoot free-throws with a med ball. Sounds a bit silly to me and oh ya…it doesn’t work.
The training we provide for young athletes (or heck, athletes of all ages) should enhance the sport that they play, not take place of it. Strong is strong in any sport. Fast is fast in any sport. Being durable and injury-free is an amazing gift we can give to our athletes. Please don’t forget that.
Get your athletes mobile, strong, explosive, fast and durable. Then have them practice the sport they love and watch them get better every year.
5. Record your numbers
We all love to see results. Kids are the same way. If they see that they started with only being able to complete 2 pull ups and after the program they could do 10, they will be psyched!
Progress is a trainer’s best friend. Record all of your athlete’s workouts and watch the numbers steadily go up. Don’t be lazy, take the time to write it all down!