One of my adult clients told me when her son was younger, he wanted to play soccer so she needed to volunteer coach in order to field a team, she had no idea how to play soccer. So, she put on her coaching sneakers, went on-line and learned how to play soccer.
She teaches junior high school, she had to use a teaching model, to 'coach' a youth soccer team. As she's telling me her brief story I'm thinking about the last blog I wrote and how she did what we try to get most coaches to do, teach.
What got me even more excited about what she did naturally, was incorporate playground like games,"just to mix it up". Awesome. Part of our program here is to incorporate a conditioning game in every session. I have had some stellar tag games this week. Shark in the tank, Tail tag, Obstacle tag
Games allow athletes to move, think, rehearse, and most of all HAVE FUN! It keeps the mood light, puts smiles on faces, and I get to participate more:)
Keep in mind that athletes of all ages need to take a break from the grind in workouts and practices. Incorporate simple, active games, even they don't have specific relation to the particular sport, it keeps the practices and workouts fresh. Your athletes will appreciate it and so will you.
'Till next year.
In Sport and Health,
Len
Pioneer Valley Youth Sport and Fitness Institute
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Youth Fitness Education for Parents
I get the enjoyment of working with kids (6-18yo) everyday. It allows me to get into the fun of playing, working out, making weird jokes, learning about technology (the kids know way more than I do), and learning what the 'in' music of the times are.
My passion is to educate/teach kids about how fitness can be fun. Its not about running them through drills and drills and drills, then tell them to go faster, do them right. My math teacher didn't to that to me, heck, no teacher ever did that to me, why should I do that to the kids I teach.
Parents, we can't expect our kids and athletes to be more healthy, be faster and stronger without teaching them WHY and how.
The more kids understand WHY they are being asked to perform a movement, a drill, WHY it may help to do a drill slower or at top speed, the more their going to be into it. The more we tell them, show them, HOW to perform the drill the more likely they are to do it right, at top speed, and with good technique.
There are coaches and there are teachers. When I see parents having their kids work with coaches who 'just don't get it', I get angry. I have had many conversations in the past two weeks with other youth fitness specialists and coaches who DO get it, and the common theme, we need to educate the parents.
Parents please do your homework. What is the style of "coaching"? How are progressions made? What should be expected from the athlete? How does the "coach" work with kids depending on their biological age? These are the questions you should be thinking about when your allowing your son or daughter to be in the care of someone else, for sometimes up to 6 to 10 hours a week.
This doesn't mean just with a strength coach, fitness trainer. I mean with all sports kids play. Now, I know many youth coaches are volunteers, without them teams may not even be formed, they should not be expected to know this, well, there are many resources that offer this know how, and I don't mean its necessarily with your local rec department.
Locally, in the Pioneer Valley, checkout STRIDES Human Performance Institute ( I know I'm biased), they are only one of a couple places that understand, have experience, and want others to understand how to teach kids in sport and fitness correctly.
I hope this finds you well and gearing up for a new year. As teachers, coaches, and parents embark on another year of sport and fitness, lets make the most of what we can offer our kids in sport and fitness.
In Sport and Health,
Len Haggerty,MA, CSCS, YFS
Pioneer Valley Youth Sport and Fitness Institute
My passion is to educate/teach kids about how fitness can be fun. Its not about running them through drills and drills and drills, then tell them to go faster, do them right. My math teacher didn't to that to me, heck, no teacher ever did that to me, why should I do that to the kids I teach.
Parents, we can't expect our kids and athletes to be more healthy, be faster and stronger without teaching them WHY and how.
The more kids understand WHY they are being asked to perform a movement, a drill, WHY it may help to do a drill slower or at top speed, the more their going to be into it. The more we tell them, show them, HOW to perform the drill the more likely they are to do it right, at top speed, and with good technique.
There are coaches and there are teachers. When I see parents having their kids work with coaches who 'just don't get it', I get angry. I have had many conversations in the past two weeks with other youth fitness specialists and coaches who DO get it, and the common theme, we need to educate the parents.
Parents please do your homework. What is the style of "coaching"? How are progressions made? What should be expected from the athlete? How does the "coach" work with kids depending on their biological age? These are the questions you should be thinking about when your allowing your son or daughter to be in the care of someone else, for sometimes up to 6 to 10 hours a week.
This doesn't mean just with a strength coach, fitness trainer. I mean with all sports kids play. Now, I know many youth coaches are volunteers, without them teams may not even be formed, they should not be expected to know this, well, there are many resources that offer this know how, and I don't mean its necessarily with your local rec department.
Locally, in the Pioneer Valley, checkout STRIDES Human Performance Institute ( I know I'm biased), they are only one of a couple places that understand, have experience, and want others to understand how to teach kids in sport and fitness correctly.
I hope this finds you well and gearing up for a new year. As teachers, coaches, and parents embark on another year of sport and fitness, lets make the most of what we can offer our kids in sport and fitness.
In Sport and Health,
Len Haggerty,MA, CSCS, YFS
Pioneer Valley Youth Sport and Fitness Institute
Thursday, November 12, 2009
What to Look for When Kids Workout
Parents often look for their child to participate in "working out" for various reasons, become strong, loose weight, stay in shape during the off-season, and medical reasons just to name a few. What is the best way for a child to participate in exercise?
First of all, check to make sure the program the child is going to be doing is designed and supervised by a qualified, appropriately certified individual, who undestands how to train and teach, not coach, young kids and athletes. Those with a Youth Fitness Specialist certification through the International Youth Strength and Conditioning Association are leading the way in youth fitness and athletic development.
Secondly, the program and training needs to be safe! Not just in the workout. It means that the program and training contains aspects that pertain to the long-term development of the child. For example, much of our entire body is working to assist, synergize, stabilize, the prime muscle movers of these pillars of movements. Brian Grasso, founder of the International Youth Conditioning Association, preaches the fact that machines provide support, but doesn’t allow for stability in 3 planes of movement; machines are pre-set for resistance, which enhance biomechanical dysfunction; machines are pre-guided, which movement in sport and life are not. As also stated by youth fitness guru Brian Grasso, machines make it very difficult to train the body unilateral, one side at a time. In addition, machines don’t allow for rotation, most of our core musculature (85%) is oriented diagonal or horizontal. At STRIDES and the PVYSFI we follow these recommendations.
Thirdly, it needs to be fun! There are some many things kids can do today, and to keep them intrigued, in my mind, and I think in the kids mind, fun needs to be a part of it. The Wii fit and other interactive games such as Dance Dance Reveloution are fun however, yet, at times lack the socialization, team work, cooperation aspects needed in everyday life. The training program a child participates in should not underestimate the importance and value of basic 'games' such as tag, tug of war and single leg tug of war, and relay races to name a few.
When members of the youth population are being trainined a functional approach is most beneficial. This approach allows for the body to really understand how to work as a large unit versus isolate which is what happens with machines. A well qualified, certified trainer who can teach appropriate training techniques that are appropriate for the biological age of the child, and can make it fun, is the best way for a child to participate in exercise.
In Sport and Health,
Len Haggerty, MA, CSCS, YFS
Pioneer Valley Youth Sport and Fitness Institute
First of all, check to make sure the program the child is going to be doing is designed and supervised by a qualified, appropriately certified individual, who undestands how to train and teach, not coach, young kids and athletes. Those with a Youth Fitness Specialist certification through the International Youth Strength and Conditioning Association are leading the way in youth fitness and athletic development.
Secondly, the program and training needs to be safe! Not just in the workout. It means that the program and training contains aspects that pertain to the long-term development of the child. For example, much of our entire body is working to assist, synergize, stabilize, the prime muscle movers of these pillars of movements. Brian Grasso, founder of the International Youth Conditioning Association, preaches the fact that machines provide support, but doesn’t allow for stability in 3 planes of movement; machines are pre-set for resistance, which enhance biomechanical dysfunction; machines are pre-guided, which movement in sport and life are not. As also stated by youth fitness guru Brian Grasso, machines make it very difficult to train the body unilateral, one side at a time. In addition, machines don’t allow for rotation, most of our core musculature (85%) is oriented diagonal or horizontal. At STRIDES and the PVYSFI we follow these recommendations.
Thirdly, it needs to be fun! There are some many things kids can do today, and to keep them intrigued, in my mind, and I think in the kids mind, fun needs to be a part of it. The Wii fit and other interactive games such as Dance Dance Reveloution are fun however, yet, at times lack the socialization, team work, cooperation aspects needed in everyday life. The training program a child participates in should not underestimate the importance and value of basic 'games' such as tag, tug of war and single leg tug of war, and relay races to name a few.
When members of the youth population are being trainined a functional approach is most beneficial. This approach allows for the body to really understand how to work as a large unit versus isolate which is what happens with machines. A well qualified, certified trainer who can teach appropriate training techniques that are appropriate for the biological age of the child, and can make it fun, is the best way for a child to participate in exercise.
In Sport and Health,
Len Haggerty, MA, CSCS, YFS
Pioneer Valley Youth Sport and Fitness Institute
Coaches of Youth Sport
I remember growing up and always looking up to my coaches, at all levels. They taught me fundamentals and technical skills of the game, appropriate sportsmanship, how to play or work with people I didn't know or didn't care for, and they taught me a lot of life skills.
It takes a special person to coach, most coaches, certainly at the youth levels are volunteers. If were not for the volunteers many kids may not have the opportunity to play. Volunteer coaches use their own free time to learn and study the game, coach the appropriate skills, keep playing time fair, handle the athletes, guide the parents, promote the fundraising, and the list goes on.
When it comes to thinking about the well-being of the youth athlete, some coaches stay their distance from discussing nutrition, injury prevention, and weight training. Maybe some coaches don't feel it is their responsibility, some don't have the time, some are not familiar with the proper guidelines, however, some coaches do make the effort to find the correct resources to help athletes better their athletic well-being.
In the last 3 weeks, I have spoke with 5 coaches of youth sport teams reaching out for opportunities to better the well-being of their athletes. They see the incidence of injuries rising. They see athletes who just want to be better. They see how the scope of athletic preparation has evolved (oh, it certainly has).
Coaches, you reach out to many people. You are the "go to" for parents, you are the "go to" for athletes. There are many ways to help those who look up to you. There are simple, time efficient, and low cost ways to better the well-being of your athletes. Ask yourself, "What imprint do I want to leave on my athletes?"
For ideas, "done for you" programs, and other resources, please contact me!
In Sport and Health,
Len
www.youthsportsfitness.com
It takes a special person to coach, most coaches, certainly at the youth levels are volunteers. If were not for the volunteers many kids may not have the opportunity to play. Volunteer coaches use their own free time to learn and study the game, coach the appropriate skills, keep playing time fair, handle the athletes, guide the parents, promote the fundraising, and the list goes on.
When it comes to thinking about the well-being of the youth athlete, some coaches stay their distance from discussing nutrition, injury prevention, and weight training. Maybe some coaches don't feel it is their responsibility, some don't have the time, some are not familiar with the proper guidelines, however, some coaches do make the effort to find the correct resources to help athletes better their athletic well-being.
In the last 3 weeks, I have spoke with 5 coaches of youth sport teams reaching out for opportunities to better the well-being of their athletes. They see the incidence of injuries rising. They see athletes who just want to be better. They see how the scope of athletic preparation has evolved (oh, it certainly has).
Coaches, you reach out to many people. You are the "go to" for parents, you are the "go to" for athletes. There are many ways to help those who look up to you. There are simple, time efficient, and low cost ways to better the well-being of your athletes. Ask yourself, "What imprint do I want to leave on my athletes?"
For ideas, "done for you" programs, and other resources, please contact me!
In Sport and Health,
Len
www.youthsportsfitness.com
Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Start of Something Great
I just finished meeting with a student from a local college who is so excited to enter the health and fitness field. She wants to educate and help promote wellness to so many people.
Here at the Pioneer Valley Youth Sports and Fitness Institute that is just our goal. To be the leading resource for sound athletic advise.
Coaches, parents, athletes, youth sport administrators, and young participants of health and fitness, this for you.
Our team of professionals wants to help you understand the proper ways to coach (as we see it, teach) young athletes, understand the truths and myths of youth athlete development, how to eat properly in an everyday diet versus a gameday, weight train and condition properly depending on the sport, age, needs and goals of the athlete, educate about BMI, how parents and coaches can effectively leave their imprint on a youth sort and fitness enthusiast, and so much more.
The Pioneer Valley Youth Sports and Fitness Institute is an opportunity for all those who care about the participation of the youth population in sport and fitness to join together.
Become a part of the Valley's only network of professionals seeking to educate all those involved with Youth Sport and Fitness.
In Sport and Fitness,
Len
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