Under the guidance of a qualified coach, young athletes can learn the technical and tactical skills of a sport, gain confidence in their physical abilities, develop leadership qualities, and work towards a common goal.

The Coaches Dozen:

The “coaches dozen” has been proposed to aid youth coaches to build healthy youth athletes. It is by no means a definitive or complete guide to youth coaching but allows a coach to build on a strong foundation from industry professionals with a backing of sports science.

1. Build a baseline strength level
   • To increase performance attributes (sprinting, change of direction, jumping, etc.)
   • Reduce chances of injury and overuse
2. Develop movement skill competency
   • Leads to increased participation due to building confidence
   • Master basic movement skills under coach’s supervision before progressing
   • This will lead to being able to master more complex movements
3. Training the developing brain
   • Youth 7-8 years old have a higher amount of neuroplasticity (ability to learn new skills)
   • Children have greater gains in motor performance than adults
   • All systems of children’s brains are evolving optimally at a younger age so it’s easier to teach complex movements such as weightlifting and plyometrics than it is for adults.
4. Become Physically Literate
   • Build confidence, motivation, and knowledge, understanding to complete a variety of physical activities as an ongoing lifestyle choice
   • Daily cardio fitness also needs to be balanced with learning how to move your body properly and take responsibility for how you move
5. Value deliberate preparation
   • Organised sports may not provide the amount of strength training needed to increase skill performance and prevent movement deficiencies that may increase risk of injury
   • Child sports should start with deliberate preparation to address weaknesses and target areas for improvement before being thrown into competition
6. Diversify the portfolio:
   • Children who participate in multiple forms of sport show a relation to more adolescent activity than an early sport specialisation
   • Exposure to multiple team-based sports shows decreased risk in muscle injuries
   • Elite level success in team sports and endurance sports is often related to multi-sport exposure during growing years
   • Different movement patterns and skills from different sports can help improve movement quality, reducing risk of injury
7. Understand the process
   • Physical demands of training must be balanced with effective teaching to enhance a child’s emotional, social and intellectual well-being
   • Coaches need to provide meaningful instruction to inspire participants, enhance physical development, and optimise performance
8. Foster Creativity
   • Imagination is needed to optimise training program adaptations, enhance adherence, and improve athletic performance
   • Coaches can use this to create interest in exercise and overcome barriers
9. Be patient in your practice
   • Sustained participation is built upon a solid foundation of general preparation, mastering the basics of movement! There’s no rush to advance youth through different phases of training
   • Children need regular opportunities to reinforce basic movement before progressing to complex skills
10. Enjoy the game
    • Any program goal should be to holistically improve fitness performance and well-being in a safe and fun environment
    • Youth who are genuinely enjoying the exercise are more likely to adhere to training programs and achieve training goals
11. Think Long-term
    • Without a long-term approach to developing strength, youth won’t possess the strength and movement skills needed for ongoing sports success
    • The link to physical inactivity and lifelong pathologies shows the need for exercise to be a sustainable process, beginning in childhood and progressing to adulthood
12. Stay coachable
    • Always be networking in the field to share ideas, ask questions, and receive feedback.
    • It takes a lot of time to develop strong, healthy youth athletes and by surrounding yourself with others who share similar interests you are more likely to achieve this as a group