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.
Offered By
The Science of Training Young Athletes
University of FloridaAbout this Course
Skills you will gain
- Training
- Coaching
- Planning
- Training Programs
Offered by
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 10 of Public Universities, the University of Florida is the state’s oldest university and has a long established tradition of academic excellence.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
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 manual is available in the Resource Section.
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.
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.
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.
Reviews
- 5 stars87.23%
- 4 stars10.88%
- 3 stars1.07%
- 2 stars0.26%
- 1 star0.53%
TOP REVIEWS FROM THE SCIENCE OF TRAINING YOUNG ATHLETES
Very very useful course for any coach anywhere in the world. Many new things learnt. Extremely useful. Thank your coursera for your flexibility and patience.
I found the teachings here very useful for my career path. It helped me understand how to treat kids better when teaching them sport and how to take care of them
A good re-introduction to a lot of concepts I learned in university. It's time to apply them again (20+ years later) to my coaching activities.
The course was explained comprehensively.. thank you so much for making this course, I have learned a lot. I can surely use this knowledge in my class as Physical Education teacher
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