Athletic development: expectations
In most sports, there exists a concept known as “long-term athletic development”. You may or may not be familiar with this term, but it’s simply used to describe and help us understand that an athlete requires several years to develop, which is normal. While each sport has its unique trajectory, there is a general timeframe, typically around ten years. Let’s break down these ten years into phases for a clearer perspective:
The Fundamental Phase: During this phase, the primary objective is to introduce individuals to the sport, allowing them to have fun while also undergoing some form of screening by coaches. This typically lasts for about two years.
The Learning Phase: Athletes learn and develop more sport-specific skills in this stage. Sports-specific training starts to take shape. This phase typically spans 2 to 3 years.
The Development Phase: Here, the focus shifts to mastering the sport-specific skills. Coaches become increasingly selective, identifying athletes who exhibit potential and genuine progress in the sport. This phase may last for approximately four years.
The Competition Preparation Phase: During this phase, periodisation with the competitive calendar becomes synchronised. The primary aim is to fine-tune conditioning and specialisation for the sport. This phase generally extends over two years.
The Training to Win Phase: Finally, some athletes transition into a phase best described as “training to win”, where the primary goal is to refine all physical and physiological qualities that can lead to high-performance outcomes.
If you engaged in sports during youth, you might examine these phases and think, “Well, this seems tailored to most team sports and athletes who begin even before they turn ten years old, and it’s not exactly functional fitness!” And you’d be correct. However, this structured journey, well-suited for athletes in various sports, should underscore that athlete development doesn’t occur within just one or two years.
It demands considerable time, and some of these phases possess universal applicability across all sports. I’m not suggesting that you wait an entire decade before participating in your local competition; most athletes commence their competitive journey during the initial fundamental training phase.
Nevertheless, many individuals have a misconception that this developmental process can be accelerated by shifting from structured classes to open gym workouts or programmes. In reality, they truthfully require a coach to assess and guide them, refine their squat technique, enhance their weightlifting skills, and develop a strong foundation in gymnastics.
The very start of an athletic journey must be athlete-centred and coach-driven. Attempting to adopt successful models from champions at the outset of one’s journey can prove disastrous, where athletes skip crucial stages and push themselves beyond their limits, risking burnout, injury, or a strained relationship with their expectations and motivation.
Another challenge arises when athletes start on the right path by allowing themselves to be developed and coached to master the fundamental skills required for competition. However, some fall into the trap of over-competing and undertraining. The balance between training and competing must be carefully planned to facilitate ongoing athlete development.
If you’re still reading this, it’s important to note that the rate of development varies for each individual. We are all unique, and our responses to training stress and adaptability determine the duration of these “theoretical” phases, which may be longer or shorter for different people.
If in doubt, remember to seek coaching and embrace development. If you’re still participating in classes, you’re likely making the right choice, as progress is consistently more achievable with a coach by your side.
Eddie
