The S’s Of Success Training Youth

By Jeff King, C.S.C.S., Fitness Quest 10

Being a member of training staff at Fitness Quest 10 I sit back and ponder what makes our athletic programs unique and stand out from others around the country? I began to think about my own training philosophy towards young kids and what I try to implement with each session to ensure kids get a great experience and parents see the value.  If the parents hear from their kids they like the training we provide, the more likely they are going to refer their peers to us and our program will grow. I constructed four things I want all my young kids to experience after the end of each success. I have named this The S’s of Success.

Smile – I believe the most important thing you can have a young kid do within a session is making them smile. This importance is even heighten when dealing with a shy and reserved young athlete. If kids are smiling during a session chances are: they are enjoying their training, engaged in their training, and responding to the coaching. Having your kid smile during his or her training can go a long way in developing long term training success, trust, and friendship

Sweat – Lets face it most young athletes want to see and feel they have been through a workout.  Parents want to know their kids are doing something productive during their training session and their money is being used wisely. What better visual than to see a kid sweaty and breathing hard during and after a workout. This does not mean run every kid to the ground to the point they cannot move after their session. I am talking about elevating their heart rates and pushing them out of their comfort zones. Keep kids active throughout the entire session and you will get on most occasions a kid who is tired at the end.

Success – Every client, no matter what demographic you work with, wants and needs to experience success. I strongly feel experiencing success is most important for young kids. They are at an age where there are in the progress of developing confidence and self-esteem in all aspects of their lives. Experiencing success during training will have them wanting for more, sharing it with their parents, and having it carry over to other areas of their lives such as school. The take home message is simple: challenge the kids but not to the point where they don’t experience any type of success.

Smart – This point is something overlooked by many trainers who work with young athletes. Young athletes should have a basic understanding of the rhyme and reason to the workout. Don’t take this to mean you need to break down every single biomechanical movement of a broad jump. What I mean is make sure they know how a broad jump can help them in their respective sport. I often found kids will be more willing to do exercises if they have an idea why they are doing it. Kids are smarter than we think so make sure you coach them up but not to the point where you lose them.

I truly feel these qualities are what makes for a unique experience for all parties involved.  I strive to achieve all four points with every young kid I come across. Our job as coaches should not only be to make our kids bigger, stronger, and faster but make them an overall better person.

Jeff has been working at Fitness Quest 10 for the past three years. Jeff specializes in working with young athletes and teams of various sports. He has worked with hundreds of athletes of various abilities and levels including high school, college, and professional. Although Jeff specializes in working with athletes, Jeff also trains the general population. Jeff’s main goal in life is to educate, motivate, and inspire people of all ages about the importance of exercise and nutrition. His desire and enthusiasm to make an impact on peoples’ lives makes Jeff a special trainer and someone who seeks to become better everyday.