Unlike any other time in history, athletes of all ages are participating in a greater degree of training Programs to prepare them for their upcoming seasons. Youth athletics have seen an explosion of professional training services that offer sports enhancement, injury prevention, and SAQ (speed, agility, and quickness) camps. These services are designed to help athletes have a better opportunity to receive college scholarships; increase the chance for a team to have a winning season; and most importantly, decrease the chances of experiencing injuries.

With the multitude of training program choices for athletes and their parents, the question arises, “How do I know what is best for me or my son or daughter?” The answer lies in becoming an educated consumer and making sure to look for specific details about the program and its coaches. By following the outlined information, you can create a very positive and rewarding experience for your young athlete.

Education
Just as with any other profession, you want to have confidence that the individual your son or daughter works with is well educated in the field of sports performance. Don’t be timid about asking for the instructors’ educational background. A degree in either Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology or Kinesiology are all good signs that this coach has a solid background in the basics of exercise.

However, finding out if this individual has continued their education to keep up to date on the latest in the sports performance field is of utmost importance. Most professional coaches will posses a certification from the National Strength & Conditioning Association becoming recognized as a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist. This is one of the best-recognized national certifications because it requires the individual to have a degree and the certification testing is directly related to sports performance.

In the end, finding a coach that seems to take their education seriously should instill confidence that you are on the right track.

Organization
A good sign for anyone searching for a quality program should look to see the level of organization of the coaches. Does each athlete go through a battery of tests that relate to specific improvements in their sport? Is there an interview to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the athlete during their sport? Do the coaches keep records of the daily training program or does all the work seem random? Does the staff look prepared to work with the number of athletes participating, or does chaos look to have taken over the training session? Does the staff discuss nutrition and lifestyle techniques to enhance performance?

At the end of each training cycle there should be a formal meeting with the athlete, parent, and coach. This meeting is to discuss how the prior training cycle progressed and how the athlete changed during the time period. Such a meeting should also focus on how the athlete feels about what was done to help him or her reach their potential as a player. This is a must before continuing on to more advanced training programs.

Results
Nothing speaks more about a specific program than the results that are obtained. Be sure to ask for testimonials from other clients, both athletes and parents. Do not hesitate to ask to speak with their clients in person to gain a better understanding of how both the parent and young athlete feel about the service. Did the program deliver what was promised? Most athletes go to these training programs to become better at their sport. Were the results achieved representative to becoming a better athlete? The coach should articulate to the both parent and athlete what and why each result is relevant.

Many of these sports training programs are a wonderful opportunity for young athletes to not only prepare for the physical demands of their sport, but the psychological demands as well. Watching a group of young athletes develop a solid work ethic, team unity, and leadership can be some of the most rewarding qualities one can hope to achieve from these programs. In the end, the most important result is that your son or daughter feels better about playing their sport and has had a positive experience with training and exercise.

Josh Henkin is the director of Sports Performance for Advanced Athletic Performance, LLC. Coach Henkin has had his writings published in various media, and he is a frequent lecturer on matters of fitness and performance. In addition, Coach Henkin has performed various workshops/lectures for Division I colleges, health clubs, charity events, and local high schools. He is currently working with various high school basketball, soccer, football, and baseball teams. Coach Henkin is available for workshops and private seminars in the Phoenix area. In addition, Coach Henkin is available anywhere in the United States and overseas to do strength and conditioning workshops. Coach Henkin also designs personalized nutrition and fitness programs online. If you would like more information on his workshops and programs, please visit Advanced Athletic Performance at www.aaptraining.net

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