| Children are not little adults. | | | | a term on which the foundation of athletic |
| This statement's basic message is, in a word, obvious. | | | | development resides: Multilateral Development. |
| We wouldn't expect our ten year old daughter to find | | | | Multilateral development is a simple concept which |
| a full time job and we won't be surprised if making the | | | | essentially relates to the need for young athletes to be |
| mortgage payment on time isn't the first concern our | | | | exposed to as much athletic stimulus as possible as |
| fifteen year old has when he wakes up in the morning. | | | | they mature. From a practical standpoint, this means |
| Why then in the sporting world do we expect young | | | | that under no circumstances should young athletes |
| athletes to train, compete, think and react like adults? | | | | become specialists in any one sport. The whole point |
| Young athletes are exposed to conditioning programs | | | | of multilateral development is to generate as much |
| that are often well beyond their structural and | | | | athleticism as possible. |
| neurological abilities and taught to emulate elite sporting | | | | Physiologically speaking, the central nervous system |
| stars in their mental approach to the game. Is this the | | | | encased in young athletes should be thought of as a |
| way to produce world-class athletes, or are there | | | | malleable sponge that is able to learn, comprehend and |
| different concepts that we need to learn, understand | | | | recount at an unbelievable rate. Limiting this ability by |
| and implement? | | | | specializing at a young age is counterproductive to |
| Without question the most mismanaged collection of | | | | optimal athletic development. Herein lies the common |
| athletes in North America are young athletes. They are | | | | misnomer with respect to youth sports in North |
| encouraged to emulate professional sporting starts, | | | | America. It is a fairly universal theory among many |
| criticized for efforts that 'don't measure up' and are | | | | coaches and trainers that to become an elite or |
| often guided by well-intentioned yet largely uneducated | | | | world-class competitor, one must engage in years of |
| coaches who don't understand the concepts involved | | | | specialized training. While this statement isn't wrong, the |
| with developmental athletics. Young athletes ARE | | | | key point is that this specialization cannot begin at too |
| NOT little adults; they have very specific and crucial | | | | young an age. In fact, between the ages of 6 - 14, |
| physical laws associated with their development. | | | | athletes should be focused primarily on developing |
| Children go through such tumultuous changes | | | | fundamental proficiency in as many athletic skills as |
| physically, physiologically and emotionally as they | | | | possible. Running, jumping, throwing, lateral movement, |
| ascend in age that it only makes logical sense that | | | | spatial orientation - the list is long and endless. The |
| coaches, trainers and youth sporting officials | | | | fundamental components of ANY sport are based on |
| understand these age-related issues and learn how to | | | | movement ability and associated physical properties, |
| program for them. | | | | such as summation of forces and neuromuscular |
| Athletic development refers to the slow progression or | | | | sequencing. Athletes must progressively master the |
| development of an athlete over several years of | | | | science of movement as children. |
| training. Within this long- term approach or scope exists | | | | |