paradigm shift in youth sports

Changing the Paradigm in Youth Sports:

An Overview of Child Centered Coaching & Youth Athletic

Development modelsRick Howard, M. Ed, CSCS, *D; Joshua Barreiro

Objectives

• Discuss the State of Youth Sports and Physical Activity • Describe the Different Types of Play• Review Youth Development Models• Introduce the Long Term Athletic Development Model• Child Centered Coaching

Current State of Youth Sports

Trends in Physical Activity

Nader et al., 2008

Youth Sports Specialization

• This has become increasingly common in early to middle childhood (Jayanthi, 2013)

Youth Sports Specialization• As a coach or parent of

a child, It is ok to get excited about sport but don’t drink the Kool aid

• While there is a general agreement that the number of hours spent in deliberate practice and training positively correlates with level of achievement, there is a question

Adolescent Years

• Sport specialization is not helpful in achieving elite status.

• Early diversification is actually more likely to lead to success.

Early Diversification

(Baker, 2003)

Unintended Consequences of Early Specialization

• NCAA data, specialization by age 12– For DI women, the highest percentage

was in gymnastics (87 percent) followed by tennis (72), soccer (62), basketball and swimming (55) and softball (48).

– For DI men, the highest was soccer (68), tennis (66), basketball (49), swimming (37), football (33) and baseball (32).

Unintended Consequences of Early Specialization

• Society sends mixed messages

• Recreational sport is seen as “second class”

Unintended Consequences of Early Specialization

Killing interest

Unintended Consequences of Early Specialization

Killing interest

Unintended Consequences of Early Specialization

• Independent risk of injury and serious overuse injury in young athletes who specialize in a single sport despite how much they train and despite their age

• The relationship between specialization and overuse injury is a dose dependent one. (Jayanthi, 2015)

Sports Participation in the US

Objectives

Unstructured vs. Structured PlayIs There a Middle Ground?

Unstructured vs. Structured Play

(Hoffman, 1997; Goldstein, 2012; Pellegrini & Glickman, 1989 ).

Trends in Free Play

(Sandberg & Hofferth, 2001; Hofferth, 2009, Christensen, 2002; Lester & Russell, 2008)

• 25% decrease in free play and specifically a 50% decrease in outdoor activates

• Play is now more institutionalized and has become more associated with learning rather than enjoyment

Stodden’s Spiral of Engagement

(Stodden et al., Quest, 2008)

The Downward (Negative) Spiral

Youth Development Models

Avoid injuries

• Age adjust– Kids should not

play more hours per week in sport than their age.

• Increase free play– 2:1

(Jayanthi,2015)

Theoretical Model of FMS

Composite Youth Development Model

(Lloyd et al, Jnl Str Cond Res, 2015 a and b)

Female CYD Model Male CYD Model

ADM Five Key Principles

• Universal access to create opportunity for all athletes 

• Developmentally appropriate activities that emphasize motor and foundational skills 

• Multi-sport participation • Fun, engaging and progressively

challenging atmosphere • Quality coaching at all age levels

Key OutcomesI. Grow both the general athlete population and the pool of elite athletes from which U.S. Olympians and Paralympians are selectedII. Develop fundamental skills that transfer between sportsIII. Provide an appropriate avenue to fulfill an individual’s athletic potentialIV. Create a generation that loves sport and physical activity, and transfers that passion to the next generation

ADM 5 StagesStage I: Discover, Learn and Play (ages 0-12)Stage II: Develop and Challenge (ages 10-16)Stage III: Train and Compete (ages 13-19)Stage IV: Excel for High Performance or Participate and Succeed (ages 15+)Stage V: Mentor and Thrive (Active for Life)

LTAD Position StatementPublished Ahead of Print

LTAD Position StatementPillar 1• Long-term athletic

development pathways should accommodate for the highly individualized and non-linear nature of the growth and development of youth.

Pillar 2• Youth of all ages,

abilities, and aspirations should engage in long-term athletic development programs, from early childhood, that promote physical fitness and psychosocial wellbeing.

LTAD Position StatementPillar 3• All youth should be

encouraged to enhance physical fitness from early childhood, with a primary focus on motor skill and muscular strength development.

Pillar 4LTAD pathways should

encourage an early sport sampling approach for youth that promotes and enhances a broad range of motor skills.

LTAD Position StatementPillar 5• Health and

wellbeing of the child should always be the central tenet of long-term athletic development programs.

Pillar 6• Youth should

participate in targeted training that helps reduce the risk of injury to ensure their on-going participation in long-term athletic development programs.

LTAD Position StatementPillar 7• Long-term athletic

development programs should provide all youth with a range of training modes to enhance both health- and skill-related components of fitness.

Pillar 8• Practitioners should

use relevant monitoring and assessment tools as part of a long-term physical development strategy.

LTAD Position StatementPillar 9• Practitioners working

with youth should progress and individualize training programs for successful long-term athletic development.

Pillar 10• Qualified

professionals and sound pedagogical approaches are fundamental to successful long-term athletic development.

Child-Centered Programming

Child-Centered Programming

• Early focus on physical literacy, more so then competition

• Time for unstructured free play and self-testing to be incorporated into practices

• Encourage children to try a range of different sports, rather than specializing

• Make sure sport is introduced in an age appropriate manner

22 Fundamental Motor Skills• Object Control- Throwing, Catching,

Kicking, Striking, Bouncing, Dribbling• Locomotor- Walking, Running,

Skipping, Dodging, Jumping• Body Awareness- Balance,

Stopping, Landing, Bending, Turning

What does this look like?

Integrated Neuromuscular Training (INT) (Myer et al, Curr Sp Med Rep, 2011)

• Includes:– Fundamental Movement

Skills and Fitness (general)

– Motor Control Deficit Reducing Exercises (specific)

– Neurocognitive/Visual Feedback

• Proficiency Barrier?

T.A.R.G.E.T• Task – use a variety of tasks that are challenging,

interesting and meaningful; tasks need not be the same for all athletes

• Authority – allow your athletes to get involved in making some of the decisions; give them a choice in which tasks or drills to work on

• Recognition – use private recognition for individual accomplishments so that you are not inviting social comparison

• Grouping – group athletes heterogeneously for drills• Evaluation – stress evaluation based on individual success

and achievement of individual goals rather than using social comparison

• Timing – not all athletes learn skills at the same pace; allow adequate practice and playing time for even the least skilled

Teaching Games for Understanding

Six Basic TGfU Concepts:

• Teach games through games.• Break games into their simplest format - then

increase complexity.• Participants are intelligent performers in games.• Every learner is important and is involved.• Participants need to know the subject matter.• Need to match participants’ skill and challenge.

Butler et al. (2008)

Teaching Games for Understanding

“Coaches can often be more helpful to a young player’s development by organizing less, saying less, and allowing the players to do more” (U.S. Soccer Federation, 2006).

“We are trying to set up an avenue for the kids to play some street soccer where they can explore the game and play on their terms” (Aspen Institute, 2015).

Conclusion

Conclusion• Change the culture in youth sports.– Less emphasis on winning, more focused on

fun• LTAD promotes development of health- and skills-

fitness as well as FMS across childhood and adolescence– Early on in childhood lay a foundation of free

play– As kid ages, focus less on sport specific drills

and more on developing skill competency, encourage sport diversification, make sure their play is age appropriate, & maintain a balance between free and structured play

Thank You!Joshua Barreirowww.MakeMoveClub.orgJosh@makemoveclub.org

Rick Howardwww.youthsportfitnesscoach.com

rihoward41@gmail.com