The System Is Designed for the Wrong Outcome

I have been fascinated recently by the number of articles I have come across suggesting that an investment in a long term athletic development approach will pay big dividends. Here are a few articles that I particularly enjoyed and found valuable. The NSCA, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, not exactly a radical organization, published a position statement on Long-Term Athletic Development making the case that LTAD "is not merely a blueprint for the aspiring elite athlete; it's an approach to physical activity and development for children and adolescents of all ages and athletic abilities." The backbone of the whole framework: safe progression of movement, physical literacy, and foundational strength as a child grows. Not specialization. Not showcase performance. A foundation.

Then there's this piece from SportsEdTV that gets at something the LTAD crowd often buries in jargon: the word "athlete" has become a problem. The assumption that athlete means elite, or highly competitive, has caused entire populations of kids to be written out of the development conversation. The real goal, and the research supports this, is building confidence and competence so kids want to stay physically active for life. Not just through high school. For life.

Here's what these pieces are circling: the youth sports system has a short-term bias baked in. Coaches are evaluated on wins. Programs sell showcases. Parents want to see something happening. All of that pressure flows downhill and lands on a 10-year-old who should be learning how to move, compete with curiosity, and enjoy the game.

The LTAD framework isn't soft. It isn't anti-competition. It's actually the more demanding path, because it requires resisting the pressure to specialize early, chase results now, and skip the foundational work that produces durable athletes. The kids who go through a real development process are harder to derail later. They have deeper movement vocabulary, stronger mental habits, and a relationship with sport that isn't built entirely on outcomes.

The research isn't new. What's new is how many parents are starting to ask the right questions about it.

(Article, 5 min read)

Next Level Athletics breaks down speed, agility, and strength work for young athletes by developmental stage, with the important caveat that neuromuscular control and movement mechanics should come before any load or intensity. The ladder drill and high-knees section is practical and well-explained. Good reference to send to a coach who asks what kids should be doing outside of practice.

(Article, 6 min read)

Most parents hear "sports psychology" and think it's for kids who are struggling. This piece flips that. Mental skills training (confidence, emotional control, focus, bouncing back from mistakes) is performance training, same as any physical skill. The breakdown of the most common mental game challenges for young athletes is accurate and free of jargon. Worth reading before deciding whether your kid "needs" it.

(Article, 5 min read)

Rebecca Lowe, Abby Wambach, and Julie Foudy on a podcast talking about what youth sports parents get wrong, and it's not what you'd expect from two of the greatest players in US soccer history. The three takeaways: stop yelling instructions from the sideline, don't go to practice (it's your kid's time, not yours), and let your kid lead. The directness is refreshing. The source matters. These aren't researchers, they're people who lived it.

The EDGE Playbook | Good Swings Happen | Josh Alpert