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TOSH

Youth Development

It has been common practice (and mistake) among coaches and parents to apply adult sport and fitness training programs to youth athletes. This practice ignores information detailing physiological and psychological differences between adolescents and adults. Ignoring these differences can have negative results in terms of health and safety, physical development, or enjoyment.

The body mass of an individual can increase up to 25-fold from birth to maturity. An individual's neuromuscular system also progresses from performing gross movements to displaying fine motor skills. Psychological changes also occur, from the limited ability to discern different shapes to the process of meditation, imagination, and creation. These differences all play a role in the response a young athlete has to physical or psychological stresses.

The physiological changes that occur during exercise as children age reflect:

Dimension (size) increases. For example, the increase in cardiac output that results as a child ages is primarily due to enlargement of the ventricles of the heart.
Development of function. The increase in anaerobic capacity with maturity is a result of increased glycolytic enzymes in the muscles.
Integration of systems. Improvements in mobile efficiency are a result of improved neuromuscular coordination. Improved efficiency reduces the energy used to perform certain movements, making them easier for a mature athlete.
Rapid rate of skeletal growth. Rapid height growth in children ages 10 - 16 can put increased stress on muscles and tendons that do not grow or adapt as quickly as bone. Also, improper quality and quantity of resistive load can damage growth plates and alter potential for future skeletal growth.

A young athlete's current maturation and ability levels MUST be considered when designing and applying a physical training program if that athlete is going to benefit from the experience of participating in sport or exercise.