How Youth Sports Should Change as Kids Grow
Coach Dad & Dr. Mom | Raising Whole Athletes
What We Learned Raising Two Young Athletes
The other day I came across an old video of Jett and Cannon when they were just toddlers.
They weren't doing basketball drills.
They weren't lifting weights.
They weren't following a workout program.
They were running through the living room, jumping over pillows, racing each other, climbing on anything they could find, and trying their hardest to copy whatever we were doing.
Looking back, I'm so thankful we didn't rush that stage.
As a basketball coach and a physical therapist, we've learned that every age has a purpose.
One of the biggest mistakes parents can make isn't expecting too little from their kids, it's expecting the wrong things at the wrong time.
We've made mistakes ourselves.
We used to think that more training would always lead to better performance. Over time, especially after Jett started having knee pain, we realized something important.
Recovery isn't what happens after training.
Recovery is part of training.
That experience changed the way we approach youth athletics and reminded us that long-term development matters far more than short-term success.
Here's how we think about each stage now.
Ages 3–5: Let Them Fall in Love with Movement
This isn't the time for organized workouts.
It's the time to jump.
Run.
Climb.
Roll.
Balance.
Throw.
Dance.
Play tag.
Build obstacle courses in the living room.
Some of our favorite memories are watching Jett and Cannon wander into the gym or the living room and try to mimic what we were doing. They didn't need perfect form or structured workouts. They just wanted to move with us.
That's exactly what young children need.
The goal at this age isn't to create a great basketball player.
It's to create a child who loves moving.
Ages 6–7: Build an Athlete
As they got older, Coach Dad shifted his focus.
Not to winning.
Not to scoring.
Not to championships.
Instead, he emphasized footwork, body control, coordination, and making every workout enjoyable.
Because kids who enjoy training usually keep training.
This is also a great time to expose children to different sports and activities. Every new movement they learn helps build a stronger athletic foundation.
The goal isn't to become the best basketball player.
The goal is to become a better athlete.
Ages 8–9: Build the Foundation
This is where my physical therapy brain starts to show.
Before we worry about jumping higher or moving faster, we want kids to move well.
That means developing:
Stability
Mobility
Balance
Coordination
Core control
When these pieces are missing, the body often finds ways to compensate. Over time, those compensations can increase stress on joints and may contribute to injuries.
Movement quality comes before performance.
Always.
Ages 10–11: Build Healthy Habits
This stage isn't just about improving skills.
It's about teaching habits they'll carry into every season of life.
We encourage our boys to understand that getting better isn't only about practicing harder.
It's also about:
Eating foods that fuel performance
Sleeping enough
Stretching and recovering
Listening to their bodies
Being coachable
Being consistent
This was also the stage when Jett began dealing with knee pain.
That experience forced us to slow down.
We added more recovery days.
We emphasized mobility and stability.
We paid more attention to nutrition.
And we stopped believing that more is always better.
Ironically, backing off helped him move better.
Ages 12–13: Train Smarter
As kids mature and demonstrate good movement quality, strength training can become an incredible tool.
Our boys currently spend about:
3 days each week developing basketball skills.
2 days each week focusing on strength, stability, mobility, flexibility & coordination.
1 day (at least) each week focusing on recovery.
1 day (at least) each week focusing on complete rest.
Notice what isn't happening.
They aren't training hard every single day.
Because improvement happens when training and recovery work together.
The Biggest Lesson We've Learned
If there's one thing we hope every parent understands, it's this:
Rest and recovery are just as important as the workout itself.
Recovery isn't being lazy.
Recovery is training.
Proper nutrition.
Mobility.
Stretching.
Cold therapy when appropriate.
Sleep.
Listening to your body.
Those habits help athletes stay healthy enough to keep improving.
More Isn't Always Better
One of the biggest misconceptions in youth sports is that more games automatically create better athletes.
We don't believe that's true.
More games don't always mean more development.
Sometimes they simply mean more fatigue.
Another common belief is that kids need to specialize as early as possible.
Research and experience suggest otherwise. A broad athletic foundation often helps children develop movement skills that benefit them for years to come, while reducing the risk of burnout and overuse injuries.
The goal isn't to create the best 10-year-old athlete.
The goal is to help your child become a healthy, confident, resilient 18-year-old ... and beyond.
That's the mindset we're trying to keep every day in our own home.
Want to help your young athlete build a stronger foundation?
Download our FREE Young Athlete Stability Guide before you go!
Coach Dad & Dr. Mom's Favorite Gear
If you're looking to encourage healthy movement at home, these are a few of the tools we use and recommend with our own boys.
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We're not just raising basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball or tennis players.
We're raising whole athletes.
Dr. Mom & Coach Dad
Helping parents raise stronger, healthier, more resilient athletes who thrive in sport and life.
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