Matt Reiland posted:I'm a proponent of taking a long-term view of development, to the extent that I would propose that for HS sophomores/juniors and younger, taking the summer to commit to dedicated strength & conditioning is a better solution than playing from Feb through Oct/Nov. They should still play in the summer, but what I am saying is that it's okay to show up to a game a little sore from a prior strength workout, because in the long-term is that one game going to matter? Probably not. Will the 4 months of dedicated S&C matter more? Probably. Can an adjustment be made for a HS Junior going to a major summer event? Of course, but balance the long-term and short-term.
Sporting News had an article about this recently that spurred me to write an article on the Power Alley website in response that outlined my proposed yearly schedule for a HS or younger ball player:
"-Spring High School season – focus on performance on the field, utilize an in-season strength maintenance program;
-June through August – commit to a dedicated off-season strength and conditioning program as a primary objective, performance on the field during summer ball is secondary;
-Fall showcase/travel season – focus on performance on the field, utilize an in-season strength maintenance program;
-End of Fall season until Spring practice begins – commit to another dedicated period of strength and conditioning.
Additionally, particularly for pre-teen athletes, it would probably be best to pick up other sports as well. Much has been written lately about the questionable benefits of early specialization in sports. From our own experience, learning and playing a new sport improves the ability to pick up skills in the primary sport, improves overall athleticism, balances physical development, and improves kinesthetic awareness."
May align with some people's opinion, and be quite contrary to others. But those are my thoughts and what I advise young players to do.
Thank you for your input. As a new member, be aware that this info has been a constant discussion in our forum. Your information only confirms that.