Training Adolescent Athletes

Velocity Sports Performance. It marked the first time that I trained young athletes. With the age range between six years of age and up, the young athlete offers an array of experiences, dynamics, and...feelings. My toughest group rested in about five 6yo girls who came to Velocity over 14 years ago. Oh man, they settled in with the feelings: if you one cried, for whatever reason, another cried because her friend cried. I remember having to coral the crew, so they would pay attention to the next drill.

It was work!

Young Athlete Experiences |

Gym-settings

Most of my athlete experiences have occurred in a typical gym-setting. But, I still do not think these settings offer the best opportunity for athletes. Check it: You cannot drill an athlete without giving him or her proper space to develop. You can get results, for sure. But, athletes need a turf or grass area, a track will do as extra incentive for many athletes. Squat racks, pools, vertimaxes, rehabilitation services or tools need inclusion for optimal athletic development. Oh, and referring back to the Velocity concept: have an area or multiple areas where an athlete can practice his or her sport. For example, if you have a basketball player come in to the facility, then have a basketball court. If you have a lacrosse player come in to the facility, then have an indoor field or one nearby. Keep in mind that some sports present a little more difficulty in getting their appropriate athletic field, such as, but are not limited to the following:

• Indoor Track & Field. Where are the indoor tracks???
• Baseball. Plenty of field outdoors, but weather takes a toll. Get those pitching stations in the facility.
• Any sport on ice and snow because ice and snow not only need additional facility space and different gym-settings, but they need a cold climate change, which is not always accessible in certain regions. You know these sports need temperature changes. If you have a facility that is fortunate to hold an ice rink or more sheets, then, by all means, use it athletes! Improve your skills!

Teams

The year 2008 was a good professional year. As a physical therapy student, I had the opportunity to intern with the New England Patriots for six months during the Pats 18-1 year, coming on the intern staff as the playoffs began. That internship was perfect. Working with the athletic trainers and strength & conditioning coaches in a professional football team environment gave a different look at, well, training. It gave me more confidence in working with pro athletes and in organized team structures. Hey, the Pats know success!

The ability to work with multiple sport teams is a skill. Tolerating the teams is both a skill and a choice. See, adolescents range in skill level: they may arrive with no experience and can barely lift a weight or run properly, or they can perform as if the NCAA will knock on their mail slot any day.  Ice hockey has served as the sport that I have worked with the most as an ice hockey coach and as a strength & conditioning specialist. Its in-season posts challenges:

Many older ice rinks do not have gym facilities in which to give a quick pre or post-practice workout.

When a gym is not present, a field can be used. Simple as that, for sure. Just remember: exercise design and selection may change. As a strength & conditioning specialist, you have to think about the sport, the time of year, the experience of the players, off-ice availability, athlete availability before or after practice, and interest.

Working with the Bishop O'Connell Ice Hockey program on their summer strength & conditioning program is rewarding. Why? For one, as the Varsity 2 Head Coach - we have two varsity teams with Coach Flip Collins serving as the V1 Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations - I can split concentration between on-ice, in-season activity and off-ice, off-season activity. The split is necessary. Implementing new ideas and experiences in to the workout is necessary, especially for a group that has an array of conditioning levels.

Exercise Preference |

Bench Press. Deadlifts. Squats. The three main exercises that, I have learned, ice hockey players like to perform. The three are not the most important - in my opinion unilateral and weight shift exercises (dumbbell or an  alternate dumbbell variation, squat variations, single leg deadlift variations, and lunge variations) that incorporate these forms hold more importance. 

Players: Can we do bench press?

Me: Can we work on your push-up because you need better should stability and a higher total number of push-ups (from the pre-test of # of push-ups in 30 seconds to test upper body speed-strength, a skill needed in ice hockey). Plus, there are 20 of you; and the transition slows down our progress.

Oh, we can do bench presses. But, the BP offers a good time to work on vanity muscles and competition.

Ice hockey has a lot of leg dominance. Well, it takes on a lot of leg-to-arm and arm-to-leg transition dominance. Deadlifts and squats are fantastic exercises, and young athletes love to see how much they can lift. However, I am an advocate for better performance on the ice. Take that deadlift and move it to one leg. Take that squat and move it one leg or move it at a good speed that offers a chance to incorporate power with balance and coordination.

Training the adolescent athlete has its fun and challenges | 

Here is the chance to train kids when they are young with no to little wear and tear. They have none to little responsibility, so the excuses level has a low entitlement. They have more energy than batteries. They look forward to letting loose. They might show timidness or a lack of confidence, and, as a coach and specialist, the opportunity rises to instill a sense of interpersonal and interpersonal trust in to their abilities. 

Players: Coach, can I do the workout that my trainer has me to perform at the gym I belong to?
Me: It's good that you have access to two different workouts and programs. But, nope! we can't have one person deviate from our routine with the team. Plus, why would you do the same workout three or four days in a row?

Watch out for this tactic coaches. Sure, you might lose a few players to their individual gyms. But, remember that you do not pull your program design out of your butt. You put time in to organizing it and writing it up. Hopefully, all players return in tip-top shape.

It helps to learn from others |

Since entering the fitness profession in 2003, I have learned from other professionals, fitness enthusiasts, by pure observation, and by attending conferences. The growth in the industry has ignited and continues to nourish everyone. The 2019 NSCA Conference held in Washington, DC saw our summer conditioning at O'Connell make a sudden change thanks to Jay Dawes' lecture. Continue the assembly line, specialists!

Keep Inspiring,
Derek

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Derek runs the summer strength & conditioning program for the Bishop O'Connell Ice Hockey program, and works as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor at a few gyms around the Washington, DC region.