We’re missing the mark. By a lot.
Development.
We love the sound of the word, and we love (the idea) of what it means, but do we understand the concept?
And to take it a step further, do we know how start, facilitate, and follow through on the intricate process that is development?
I can tell you with sincerity that answer, collectively speaking, is a firm NO.
So let’s start by defining “Athletic Development”?
“Athletic Development is the process of enhancing athletic performance through a systematic, sequential, and progressive approach to the total conditioning process in an environment that ensures success in athletics and life.” (Per Vern Gambetta – The GAIN Network)
They key words: process, systematic, and sequential.
In summary, there is a procedure to athletic development.
And no it’s not injecting our kids into a single sport at 10 years old and having them play it year round.
That would in fact, be the exact opposite of development.
Development isn’t starting out with t-ball at 5 years old, and then moving to coach pitch, to machine, to kid pitch.
That is the progression our current model uses, but that most certainly is “athlete development”.
Athletic development is the global process of performance enhancement.
I’ll paint the athletic development pyramid for you, now.
Starting at the base, we have what is referred to as work capacity or “general physical preparation” – this is essentially the process of creating the bandwidth to do more work, exercise, activity, sport, etc. It’s the base.
Moving up to the next layer we have strength. The reason strength is such a large component of the athletic development pyramid is because strength is the quality the FEEDS every other quality. It holds the keys.
Moving on to the next segment of the pyramid we have power & speed. The reason this is a “smaller” (but still very important) block is because for youth ball sport athletes, strength is what ignites speed. You must be strong to be fast and powerful.
And finally, at the tip top of the pyramid, we have everybody’s favorite: Sport Specifics.
The problem with our current development model is that the pyramid I just described is flipped upside down on its head.
And what’s that saying?
A building is only as strong as ..
Yeah, and that’s why we are where we are, today.
