The Science of Training Young Athletes

University of Florida

About this Course

Seventy percent of kids drop out of sports before their high school graduation. Only 15% leave because they feel they are not good enough. Almost 70% leave because they were not having fun, or due to problems with the coach. Injuries cause 30% to give up sports. This course is packed full of practical sports science information that provide youth coaches and parents with the practical pediatric sports science insights to successfully retain young athletes and develop their sport potential while avoiding injury and overtraining. We begin by examining the multidimensional nature of coaching, the relevant sport motor performance abilities, the impact of growth and development on motor skills, the gene versus practice controversy, and briefly overview the body structures strengthened through training. Then we explore the athlete's energy supply, where this energy comes from, and how it matures along with the athlete. Finally, we examine the development of strength, power, anaerobic capacity, coordination and flexibility through the life span. The optional text manual for this course is available at: http://www.learnitez.com/HighPerformanceScience/manuals/

100% online course

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 20 hours to complete

Suggested: 5 weeks of study, 2-3 hours/week

English

Subtitles: English

100% online course

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 20 hours to complete

Suggested: 5 weeks of study, 2-3 hours/week

English

Subtitles: English

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Section

2 hours to complete

Week 1: Introduction to the young athlete

Youth coaches who have a sound understanding of pediatric sports science are essential to the successful development of a young athlete’s sport potential. In this section you are introduced to the multidimensional nature of coaching, and how an athlete’s motor abilities of endurance, strength, speed, coordination and flexibility are affected by growth and maturation.The optional text manual for this course is available at: http://www.learnitez.com/HighPerformanceScience/manuals/...

23 videos (Total 105 min), 3 quizzes

23 videos

Course Introduction3m

Part 1 - Introduction to high performance coaching3m

Part 2 - How many kids play sports?6m

Part 3 - Why do kids play sports?4m

Part 4 - How we gain knowledge3m

Part 5 - The performance components5m

Part 6 - The competitive performance4m

Part 7- Key points of high performance coaching2m

Part 1 - Introduction to motor performance abilities5m

Part 2 - Designing physical work capacity5m

Part 3 - Five components of motor performance5m

Part 4a - Sport-specific motor abilities2m

Part 4b - Sport-specific motor abilities2m

Part 4c - Sport-specific motor abilities4m

Part 5 - Key points of motor performance abilities3m

Part 1 - Introduction to growth and maturation5m

Part 2 - Growth vs. maturation6m

Part 3 - Gender and puberty4m

Neurological Development5m

Thermoregulation and Cardiovascular4m

Ventilation2m

Part 5- Key points of growth and maturation2m

Additional Insights: Educational Opportunities of Sport Organizations (Terry Crawford)9m

3 practice exercises

Quiz 110m

Quiz 210m

Quiz 310m

2

Section

2 hours to complete

Week 2: Strategies for maximizing the athlete’s potential

Many factors can positively and negatively impact the young athlete’s ability to optimize their sports potential. In this section we examine strategies for ensuring the athlete’s systematic long-term sports development and how to mold the correct sport-specific phenotype....

20 videos (Total 113 min), 3 quizzes

20 videos

Part 1 - Introduction to critical training periods1m

Part 2 - Ontogeny7m

Part 3 - Development and environment6m

Part 4 - Motor circuitry development5m

Part 5 - Periods of accelerated growth6m

Part 6 - Key points of critical training periods3m

Part 1 - Introduction to long term athlete development2m

Part 2 - Four implicit principles7m

Part 3 - Physical literacy10m

Part 4 - Training approaches6m

Part 5 - Key points of long term athlete development2m

Dr. Mike Sagas Introduction3m

Sampling7m

Benefits of early sampling5m

What is deliberate play?5m

Part 1 - Introduction to factors affecting potential6m

Part 2 - Genotype vs. phenotype6m

Part 3 - Genetic ceiling effect5m

Part 4 - Why the body's systems adapt7m

Part 5 - Key points of factors affecting potential3m

3 practice exercises

Quiz 410m

Quiz 510m

Quiz 610m

3

Section

2 hours to complete

Week 3: How the body works

The coach is a microbiologist who designs training so it stimulates the body’s cells and structures to become stronger and more efficient. In this section you are introduced to key organ systems, and the energy these organ systems use to run the chemical reactions needed for a sports performance. You will also learn how diet can positively enhance an athlete’s ability to train and compete....

18 videos (Total 81 min), 3 quizzes

18 videos

Part 1 - Introduction to important body structures4m

Part 2 - Skeletal and muscular system6m

Part 3 - Nervous system5m

Part 4 - Respiratory system4m

Part 5 - Cardiovascular system2m

Part 6 - Key points of important body structures2m

Part 1 - Introduction to energy supply3m

Part 2 - ATP structure and recharging6m

Part 3 - Creatine phosphate (CP) mechanism3m

Part 4 - Fast glycolysis4m

Part 5 - Aerobic energy system3m

Part 6 - How mitochondria work7m

Part 7 - Key points of energy supply3m

Part 1 - Introduction to energy system fuels and diet4m

Part 2 - Nutrient processing5m

Part 3 - Role of vitamins and minerals7m

Part 4 - Nutritional concerns2m

Part 5 - Key points of energy system fuels and diet2m

3 practice exercises

Quiz 710m

Quiz 810m

Quiz 910m

4

Section

5 hours to complete

Week 4: Enhancing the athlete’s physical work capacity

The level of expertise with which an athlete is able to perform sports skill depends on how well the coach molds the correct ratio of endurance, strength, power and speed to meet the demands of the sport. In this section you will learn the science behind developing these important motor performance abilities as the young athlete moves through puberty....

23 videos (Total 113 min), 5 quizzes

23 videos

Part 1 - Introduction to aerobic capacity4m

Part 2 - The VO2max test5m

Part 3 - Comparing the VO2max of athletes6m

Part 4 - Aerobic capacity of young athletes5m

Part 5 - Relative VO2max of trained vs untrained children5m

Part 6 - The child's economy3m

Part 7 - Key points of aerobic capacity2m

Part 1- Introduction to strength2m

Part 2 - Gender strength differences7m

Part 3 - Trainability of strength3m

Part 4 - Strength adaptation and training safety6m

Part 5 - Key points of strength1m

Part 1 - Introduction to the physiology of strength and power6m

Part 2 - Muscle components affecting strength and power4m

Part 3 - Intrinsic sensors8m

Part 4 - Stretch-shortening cycle6m

Part 5 - Strength and muscle fiber type4m

Part 6 - Key points of the physiology of strength2m

Part 1 - Introduction to anaerobic capacity3m

Part 2 - Effect of gender and age7m

Part 3 - Explaining development of anaerobic performance7m

Part 4 - Sport performance insights3m

Part 5 - Key points of anaerobic capacity1m

4 practice exercises

Quiz 1010m

Quiz 1110m

Quiz 1210m

Quiz 1310m

5

Section

3 hours to complete

Week 5: Enhancing the fluidity of movement

Coordination and flexibility permit movements that are precise, fluid and spatially controlled. In this section we examine current knowledge about coordination and flexibility as the young child moves through early childhood and into adolescence....

21 videos (Total 150 min), 2 quizzes

21 videos

Part 1 - Introduction to coordination4m

Part 2 - Brain motor control areas4m

Part 3 - Coordinating variables6m

Part 4 - Optimal sequential timing6m

Part 5 - Soccer example of coordination & control5m

Part 6 - Learning control3m

Part 7 - Key points of coordination2m

Part 1 - Introduction to flexibility4m

Part 2 - Range of motion strategies4m

Part 3 - Children and flexibility2m

Part 4 - Varieties of stretching7m

Part 5 - Effect of stretching on a muscle2m

Part 6 - Position statement1m

Part 7 - Key points of flexibility1m

Psychology 1 - Acquiring expertise (Dr. Mark Williams)18m

Psychology 2 - Talent identification and development (Dr. Mark Williams)20m

Psychology 3 - Perceptual and Cognitive Expertise (Dr. Mark Williams)20m

Dean Reid Introduction2m

Dr. Mike Sagas: Sports Management Overview8m

Sports Management Faculty Introductions11m

Dr. Tom Livengood9m

2 practice exercises

Quiz 1410m

Quiz 1510m

Instructor

Dr. Chris Brooks

Instructor

About University of Florida

The University of Florida (UF) is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in academic excellence, both on campus and online. Ranked in the top 20 of Public Universities, the University of Florida is the state’s oldest university and has a long established tradition of academic excellence. ...

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The Science of Training Young Athletes