Three ways youth athletic training isn't just for elite sports competitors

Only about half of the 8- to 18-year-olds training in sports-centered programs around the country are elite competitors – training for scholarship, national championship, or Olympic level competition. Many of our Redline athletes may aspire to those levels... and we'll help them get there. However there are three things at the core of athletic training that rise above medals and trophies (but are essential to earning those accolades).

1. Reduce the risk of injury. Sport is the main cause of injury in adolescents and teens. Because young athletes are still growing, they are at a greater risk for injury than adults. These injuries influence health – sometimes for several years – but many can be prevented, says Ryan Cox, owner of Longmont, Colorado's Redline Athletics. “Injuries can be costly for the parents, obviously, with medical bills and missing time from work for doctor visits. But they can also impact a kid's self-esteem. A balanced training program looks at the equipment, the regimen, and of course the value of recovery time between training and/or events to avoid injury.” That recovery time is essential when youth need to...

2. Condition for year-round sports. Even if an athlete isn't a two, three, or four sport participant, many club programs offer competition all year long: A one-sport student athlete can be playing that one sport 11 months a year. Overuse injuries occur gradually over time, when an athletic activity is repeated so often, parts of the body do not have enough time to heal between playing. The pain is low grade and the athlete often ignores it. But it's serious. Examples of overuse injuries include throwing injuries in the elbow, Achilles tendinitis, and shin splints. A structured training program doesn't just focus on specific mechanics for the sport, it focuses on overall health and strength development.

3. Eliminate movement efficiency issues. Efficiency in movement is a common term has come to assume different meanings. Technically it relates to the effort or energy expended to execute a skill. High-level pros focus on this extensively: Getting the best result while conserving energy. However, the concept isn't just for pros and makes a world of sense for all athletes, says Cox. “It comes down to mobility, flexibility, and stability. In practice sessions, sport coaches don't often have time to concentrate on these, but a trainer conditioning for these builds a foundation for overall health.”

When a youth training program focuses on core elements of injury prevention, year-round competition, and movement efficiency, says Cox, it drastically improves the athletes' performance on the field/court. “When kids have been properly shown how to perform and train at their body's highest level, their confidence skyrockets and that translates into the classroom as well.”