THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT BY ISTVAN BALYI,RICHARD WAY & COLIN HIGGS. Specialization Defined Hill (as cited in Hill & Simons, 1989) described specialization as athletes limiting participation to a single sport, which they train for and compete in on a year-round basis. Baker, Cobley, and Fraser-Thomas (2009) used four para­meters to define early…

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT BY ISTVAN BALYI,RICHARD WAY & COLIN HIGGS. To implement the LTAD model, people must fully understand the seven stages. Administrators, coaches, and parents should also remember that moving from one stage to another is based on the athlete’s development and not just chronological age; however, chronological age can be…

Some children are early bloomers who enjoy success in sports because they develop faster, not because they have more raw athletic talent.  Some children – even if they appear to only be average athletes or lag behind his peers – may be late bloomers whose athletic talent will only become apparent later when they are…

Bob CookContributor Sports & LeisureI write about youth sports under the title: Your Kid’s Not Going Pro. In the United States — well, in most countries, really — the sports system is dedicated to finding talented athletes at the earliest ages possible, and focusing on them as the pool of future professional standouts. That mindset…

Coach Dunham – SJC Track & Field‏ @SjcTrack May 20 Yesterday our girls made history! Our first ever girls track & field WCAC Championship title at SJC!