There are two types of youth hockey players: kids who truly love and are passionate about the game and kids who are
just playing it for fun or maybe because they’re being forced to. It’s the kids
in that first group- the ones who love the sport with all they’ve got- who are
often the most gifted and the most in need of nurturing. These are the kids who
will pick up a stick and pull on their skates anytime they have a spare minute,
the kids who get together with their friends for a game of pick-up hockey, and
who work on perfecting skills long after practice has ended for everyone else.
While all kids can benefit from
specialized coaching, it’s especially important for these passionate young
players. The right coaching at the right time can ensure that they never lose
that drive or that thirst for hockey that they currently possess. Experts in
the sports education field believe that, for training to be as effective as
possible, it has to be delivered at a calculated, gradual pace.
That’s why many coaches stand by and
use the Long-Term Athlete Development Model, a training model that incorporates
specific training, intensity, and competition goals and lessons to be delivered
at set times. The model consists of seven stages, all designed to help youth
athletes gain the skills and knowledge they need in a steady, controlled way to
have maximum long-term benefits for them.
The first stage of the model is known
as “Active Start” and is for children up to age six. This stage, along with
stage 2- “FUNdamentals” and stage 3- “Learn to Train,” is all about helping
players to begin building physical and mental skills necessary for being a
success at the sport of their choice. The next three stages, which start for
girls who are 11 and boys who are 12, are all about real training and picking a
sport specialization. Winning is not focused on until near the end of the
stages since the goal is to create good athletes, not necessarily ones who win
all the time or who base their worth on the outcome of a competition. With that
said, however, players who have successfully passed through all these stages
are more likely to win more often than those who haven’t.
The seventh and final stage of the
model is Stage 7- the “Active for Life” stage, which focuses on encouraging
people of all ages to continue their involvement in sports. Whether
professionally or just for fun, the idea is to keep people active and to have
them continue enjoying sports and all that they can still stand to gain from
being a part of them.
This model creates people who love
their sports for life, so it’s a great strategy to use with all of your
players, but especially those who already have that passion and special spark
for the sport.
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