LTAD and young players
I'd like to propose three principles of child development, which ought to be remembered by all coaches, teachers and policy makers:
1) Children and not mini-adults.
2) Children and not mini-adults.
3) Children and not mini-adults.
This point is trite and obvious. Yet, it has been repeatedly forgotten or ignored in sport.
We train infants as if they are fully developed adults, with adults' physiologies, motivations and systems. We talk about children's sporting 'careers'. We use children to help us realise our adult aspirations.
What's the result? Some children - often those who are initially most committed to sport - become burned out or seriously injured. Others get turned off sport for life (let's not forget that most children in most countries do no regular sporting activity after leaving compulsory schooling). And even those who continue to play may have experiences that are less enjoyable and rewarding than they could be, if we only remembered the three principles of child development.
There are weaknesses with the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model proposed by my colleague Istvan Balyi. In a review that I recently directed for Sports Coach UK we discuss the evidence base for LTAD (and also other popular models). Not surprisingly, some if its claims were found wanting. But that is inevitably going to be the case with scientific models - they are steps in a never-ending journey towards truthfulness.
The greatest achievement of LTAD, it seems to me, is that it has forced sports groups to acknowledge the relevance of a developmental perspective in sport. It has forced us to consider seriously the importance of children's physical, psychological and social development for their sports participation. Our understanding of child development is still emerging, and we can be sure that many of our presumptions will have to be adapted or overthrown. Much the same could be said for LTAD, itself. It will have to evolve if it is to retain its relevance.
But one assumption seems to be quite secure: children's foundational experiences will have a massive influence on their later decisions to participate of sport. Fun and enjoyable early experiences are likely to nudge children towards a positive outcome on sport. And fun and enjoyment are main reasons for children taking part in sport in the first place.
Tags:
balyi,
child,
children,
coaching,
development,
long term athlete development,
ltad,
model,
sport,
young,
youth
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