Written by the American Sport Education Program in conjunction with Matt Lydum and other experts from Hersheys Track & Field Games and USA Track & Field, Coaching Youth Track & Field is the only resource available today aimed at coaches of athletes ages 14 and under. Coaching Youth Track & Field includes activities specifically designed for young track and field athletes and fundamentals of all of the events in track and field (USATF and Hersheys Track and Field Games). Coaching Youth Track & Fields 73 activities and 32 age-specific coaching tips are sure to jump-start your planning and practices and help you overcome any hurdle encountered during the season. Plus, sequenced and specific chapters help you learn, retain, and reference in a flash. Endorsed by USATF and named the official handbook of Hersheys Track & Field Games, this book a must-read as you prepare to meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of coaching young athletes.
Leading USATF coaches present event-specific technical instruction and training regimens in this official level 1 text of USA Track & Field’s coach education program. Experts in sport psychology, physiology, and biomechanics provide coaches knowledge and applications to improve athletes’ performance.
Although the physical and psychological benefits of youth participating in sport are evident, the increasing professionalization and specialization of youth sport, primarily by coaches and parents, are changing the culture of youth sport and causing it to erode the ideal mantra: “It’s all about the kids.” In Best Practice for Youth Sport, readers will gain an appreciation of an array of issues regarding youth sport. This research-based text is presented in a practical manner, with examples from current events that foster readers’ interest and class discussion. The content is based on the principle of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), which can be defined as engaging in decisions, behaviors, and policies that meet the physical, psychological, and social needs of children and youth based on their ages and maturational levels. This groundbreaking resource covers a breadth of topics, including bone development, burnout, gender and racial stereotypes, injuries, motor behavior, and parental pressures. Written by Robin S. Vealey and Melissa A. Chase, the 16 chapters of Best Practice for Youth Sport are divided into four parts. Part I, Youth Sport Basics, provides readers with the fundamental knowledge and background related to the history, evolution, and organization of youth sport. Part II, Maturation and Readiness for Youth Sport Participants, is the core of understanding how and why youth sport is different from adult sport. This part details why it is important to know when youth are ready to learn and compete. Part III, Intensity of Participation in Youth Sport, examines the appropriateness of physical and psychological intensity at various developmental stages and the potential ramifications of overtraining, overspecialization, overstress, and overuse. The text concludes with part IV, Social Considerations in Youth Sport, which examines how youth sport coaches and parents can help create a supportive social environment so that children can maximize the enjoyment and benefits from youth sport. In addition to 14 appendixes, activities, glossaries, study questions, and other resources that appear in Best Practice for Youth Sport, the textbook is enhanced with instructor ancillaries: a test package, image bank, and instructor guide that features a syllabus, additional study questions and learning activities, tips on teaching difficult concepts, and additional readings and resources. These specialized resources ensure that instructors will be ready for each class session with engaging materials. Ancillaries are free to course adopters and available at www.HumanKinetics.com/BestPracticeForYouthSport. Best Practice for Youth Sport provides readers with knowledge of sport science concerning youth sport and engages them through the use of anecdotes, activities, case studies, and practical strategies. Armed with the knowledge from this text, students, coaches, parents, administrators, and others will be able to become active agents of social change in structuring and enhancing youth sport programs to meet the unique developmental needs of children, making the programs athlete centered rather than adult centered so that they truly are all about the kids.
Loaded with clear and practical information that parents, coaches, and children can put to quick use, Young Runners is a comprehensive guide to recreational and competitive running for children of all ages. Former running coach Marc Bloom draws on years of experience, as well as on some of the most successful youth running programs in the United States today, to offer a safe start for our youngest runners and continued healthy running through adolescence. Young Runners includes: • Training programs for children aged 3 to 11, 12 to 14, and 15 to 18, including warm-ups and stretches for injury prevention • Information about speed and distance, as well as weekly training programs • A guide to youth races across America Bloom also outlines the different basics for boys and girls, cross-training for enhanced performance in other sports, and the best way to add running to the lives of special-needs children. Filled with inspiring stories and straightforward advice, Young Runners focuses above all on the enjoyment of running that should be a part of every kid's life.
The modern day youth sports environment has taken the enjoyment out of athletics for our children. Currently, 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by the age of 13, which has given rise to a generation of overweight, unhealthy young adults. There is a solution. John O’Sullivan shares the secrets of the coaches and parents who have not only raised elite athletes, but have done so by creating an environment that promotes positive core values and teaches life lessons instead of focusing on wins and losses, scholarships, and professional aspirations. Changing the Game gives adults a new paradigm and a game plan for raising happy, high performing children, and provides a national call to action to return youth sports to our kids.
This "is the first ever complete guide for middle and distance runners ages 6 to 18 and their coaches and parents. It shows the proven formula of Mick Grant, which produced National Champions several years in a row from a group of ordinary local kids, near Mick's home in Northeast Massachusetts, who asked him to be their coach. The book lays out in detail how youth and teen athletes and their coaches or parents can take them to successively higher levels, year after year, after year, following the proven success of Mick's training program. What differentiates this program and this book from other programs and books is that it is a unique blend of building endurance and improving basic speed throughout the year, so that the athlete is much better next year than they are this year. The program uses a FUN FIRST approach, making sure the athlete is enjoying what they are doing, and staying healthy to allow consistent training. It is the first such book to cover every topic imaginable for the youth and teen middle/distance runner, jammed packed with over 225 pages of vital information. This book is a must read for all youth runners age 6 to 18, and anyone helping youth runners starting on the way to a life long enjoyment of running, and a successful running career, including youth runners, parents of youth runners, youth runner club coaches, and high school coaches. While this book is geared to youth runners, it is a valuable resource to all middle and distance runners and coaches, regardless of age or level, because the same basic principles apply to all middle and distances runners."--Page 4 of cover.
Renowned exercise scientist Tudor Bompa provides the latest research, proven programs, and expert advice to improve the athletic performance of young athletes ages 6 to 18. Conditioning Young Athletes offers 182 exercises and 17 programs spanning 14 popular sports, along with coverage of the impact early specialization has on a young athlete’s development.
As the best-selling guide in the sport, Training Young Distance Runners has helped countless runners achieve their best times, avoid injuries, and improve their performance progressively from season to season. Updated, expanded, and enhanced, this new edition further solidifies its standing as a must-have for athletes and coaches in cross country, track and field, and road racing. Running experts Larry Greene and Russ Pate combine the latest research with training, development, and conditioning plans from the most successful high school and college programs in the world. You’ll learn to optimize performance through tempo running, interval training, and technique work to improve form. You’ll gain a competitive advantage with expert advice and strategies for event-specific training, avoiding injuries, and overcoming setbacks. With guidelines for designing customized daily, weekly, and seasonal programs—as well as coverage of hot topics including nutritional supplements, barefoot running and minimalist shoes, and gearing training to the specific needs of girls and boys—Training Young Distance Runners is the most complete and current training guide for the sport. Essential reading for coaches, parents, and young runners, this book has everything you need to get and stay ahead of the pack.
