Growth and Development for Junior Coaches By Leigh Brown RMIT University/Sydney Swans

Learning characteristics of children  Children place a great deal of emphasis on the learning of new skills  Children develop skills in a simple to complex progression  Children develop physically at different rates  Children need to practice the skill in order to master it  Children develop socially at different rates

Learning characteristics of children  Often tall children will be expected to perform better (shouldn’t be)  Children’s bodies are developing and therefore need modified equipment and rules  Children need positive experiences  Like you, if the children’s needs aren’t met they may look elsewhere!

Developmental Characteristics of Children  Between age seven and eleven children vary in height by about 40%  It is not uncommon for two children to be four years apart in physical development  Girls develop physically quicker than boys  Important they all develop correct technique  Can be a problem with early maturers

General Characteristics of Children Age 6-7  They are the centre of life  Respond well to drill and practice activities  Attention span is short - change activities regularly  They may want to be first all the time - avoid long lines  Their fine manipulative skills may not be good - focus on gross movements

 Age 8-9  Work better in groups  Language can be used well - don’t baby them  Exploratory learning can be used well at this stage  Need lots of practice - will persist more General Characteristics of Children

Age  Competitive urge is growing - encourage a personal best approach rather than win at all costs mentality  Have the capacity to learn more complex skills  Start of wider maturation issues

Types of learners  Visual  Listener  Thinker  Kinesthetic

Visual  Learns best by watching someone else demonstrate a movement  May need visual feedback  Video cameras?

Listener  Focuses on words  Asks questions such as “what do you mean by…….?”  Needs key words  Needs verbal feedback

Thinker  This type of learner requires concepts and principles of skills to clarify what is required in a skill

Kinesthetic  Wants to know what the movement feels like  Physical guidance and repeated practice assist this type of learner

Strength Training & Young People  Is a controversial issue  Eastern v Western Philosophy  Concerns about growth plate damage  Central Nervous System and Motor Control  Biological Maturity – Bone development, heart and lung development  Hormonal development – Strength v hypertrophy  Technical requirements

Flexibility  In terms of young athletes, flexibility develops in correspondence with growth. In terms of training, type, frequency and duration also change with age -  Ages :  Hip and shoulder mobility declines, resulting in the need for dynamic ROM exercises within these two joints (multidirectional raises and rotations). Maximum flexibility of the spine is reached by the age of 8 or 9 - increases beyond normal ROM can be made, but is unnecessary and considered potentially harmful.  Within this age group, STATIC STRETCHING SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

Flexibility  Ages  Children incur gains of body mass at a quicker rate than gains in height at this age, which leads to an increase in strength. Flexibility training should intensify in this age category. Increases in strength and changes in body mass can combine and lead to poor biomechanical habits - most critically in not using full ROM during movement. Ensure that kids incorporate full ROM, dynamic exercises into their training.

Flexibility  Ages  Height can increase as much as one inch per month during the growth spurt. Muscles and supporting connective tissue do not grow as quickly as bone, which can result in general pain throughout the body. Flexibility training can and should target the areas most prone to pain - this would include quadriceps, hamstrings and muscles of the lower lumbar spine specifically. Poor posture, reduced movement skill and injury are all potential concerns of rapid growth, but can be limited with appropriate flexibility habits.  Ages Now is the time to start adding sport-specific means of flexibility training into an athlete’s routine AT THE END OF TRAINING/GAMES.

What to focus on!  Ball work  Skill development – competency versus activity  Sound habits  Challenge them  Make it enjoyable and learning

Some other factors  Variety is the spice of life  Success breeds success  Use help if you can get it  What is the measure of your success?