Coaching Adolescents

Sport Coaching Pedagogy

by Michael Mackenzie

u3052227
Model for LTAD

Unchainedfitness.com.au
Training to Train
 Males aged 12 – 16, females aged 11 – 15.
 The main aim should be to improve cognitive function.
 Develop both physical and technical skills simultaneously.
 Introduce full session plans- warm-up, main training phase, cool-
down.
 Establish pre-competition, competition and post-competitions
routines.
 Develop functional strength of athletes- both male and female.
 Educate athletes of susceptibility to and types of injury that
competition may pose.
 Never forget the most important purpose of sport- fun and
enjoyment.
Balyi, 2004
Training to Compete
Males aged 16 – 18, females aged 15 – 17.
50% of time should be allocated to technical, tactical
skills and fitness improvements.
50% of time allocated to competition specific training.
Specificity to sport is imperative.
Programs, preparation constraints and technical
development must be tailored for each athletes needs.
Multiple periodisation framework is optimal.

Smith, 2003
 Growth rates- males and females

Rogol, et al, 2000

Coaching the adolescent brain
1. Coach As a Collaborator.
2. Encourage Positive Risk Taking
3. Teach Stress Management Skills
4. Guide Athlete Towards Healthy Habits.
5. Avoid Overloading The Athlete With Information
6. Provide A Positive Structured Environment.
Coach as a collaborator
Set goals for the
athlete using there
input.
Reinforce the concept
in intrinsic feedback.
Have monthly check-
ups on whether the
appropriate
expectations are being Sportspsychology.com

met.
Ogilvie, et al, 1998
Encourage positive risk taking
Teen brain craves risk.
Skills practiced regularly are
remember via crystalised memory
retention.
Turn positive risky outcomes into a
habit.
Constantly practise technical,
tactical and strategically skills,
altering each with an external
variable which encourages risky
decision making.
Always looks at positives, out- Positivecoaching.com
sourcing negative
Smith, 2003comments.
Teach stress management skills
Adolescence is the first
real stage that athletes are
vulnerable external
psychological stress.
Introduce breathing and
self-talk strategies.
 Allow athlete to
understand the power of
“positive body language”.

Stocker, et al, 2007

Guide athlete towards healthy habits
These include; physical, mental
and social.
Educate adolescents of the
importance of a positive
balance.
Discourage drugs and alcohol.
Introduce a dietary plan,
allowing them to have input
into what they eat, as long as it
fits into the right food group at
Preciseportions.com
the specific time.
Juzwiak, et al, 2004
Avoid overloading with information
Your role as a coach is to
prepare the athlete, do not
expect them to prepare
themselves.
Progressive-overload is the
key, without being
overwhelming.
Information- keep it simple.
Avoid last minute advice, it
only confuses their overcoaching.com

undeveloped minds.
Smith, 2003
Provide a positive structured environment
Providing fun is
paramount.
Set a list of guidelines,
and if they are broken
give a suitable
punishment.
Punishments which
discourage participating
should never be used.
Never force an athlete
into resenting their coach
Littleleague.org
or sport.
Fraser-Thomas, 2009
Immune system

Brolinson, et. Al, 2007

Anthropometry
Body composition
Skinfold tests
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Waist to hip ratio
Body sixe and structure
Girths
Breadths
Lengths

Mirwald, et al, 2002 Anthropometrimeasures.edu.au

References
 Balyi, I., & Hamilton, A. (2004). Long-term athlete development: trainability in childhood and
adolescence. Olympic Coach, 16(1), 4-9.
 Smith, D. J. (2003). A framework for understanding the training process leading to elite performance. Sports
medicine, 33(15), 1103-1126.
 Rogol, A. D., Clark, P. A., & Roemmich, J. N. (2000). Growth and pubertal development in children and
adolescents: effects of diet and physical activity.The American journal of clinical nutrition, 72(2), 521s-528s.
 Ogilvie, B. C., Tofler, I. R., Conroy, D. E., & Drell, M. J. (1998). Comprehending role conflicts in the coaching of
children, adolescents, and young adults. Transference, countertransference, and achievement by proxy
distortion paradigms. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 7(4), 879-890.
 Stocker, C. M., Richmond, M. K., Rhoades, G. K., & Kiang, L. (2007). Family emotional processes and
adolescents' adjustment. Social Development, 16(2), 310-325.
 Juzwiak, C. R., & Ancona-Lopez, F. (2004). Evaluation of nutrition knowledge and dietary recommendations
by coaches of adolescent Brazilian athletes.International journal of sport nutrition & exercise
metabolism, 14(2).
 Fraser-Thomas, J., & Côté, J. (2009). Understanding adolescents' positive and negative developmental
experiences in sport. Sport Psychologist, 23(1).
 Brolinson, P. G., & Elliott, D. (2007). Exercise and the immune system. Clinics in Sports Medicine, 26(3), 311-
319.
 Mirwald, R. L., Baxter-Jones, A. D., Bailey, D. A., & Beunen, G. P. (2002). An assessment of maturity from
anthropometric measurements. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 34(4), 689-694.
 Nash, C., & Collins, D. (2006). Tacit knowledge in expert coaching: Science or art?. Quest, 58(4), 465-477.