Performance Training and Injury Prevention content provided exclusively by Velocity Sports Performance

Picking the Right Place to Train

by Brent Callaway
Velocity Sports Performance Director, Carlsbad

The world of youth sports has advanced dramatically in the last ten years.  Gone are the days of a ten year old riding his bike up to the elementary school and meeting a group of neighbors for some touch football.  Today’s young athletes often play one sport year round and parents often hire private skill coaches to give their athlete every advantage.  Today’s young athletes also have specialized athletic training facilities at their disposal; a service that used to be exclusive to professional athletes. 

These facilities can be extremely beneficial to the development of young athletes that no longer participate in developmentally specific PE or play outside on their own five days a week.  The key to taking advantage of this new opportunity is identifying which facilities can provide the injury prevention and improvement that young athletes need.  Here are a few tips that will help you make an educated decision when choosing a facility:

• What is the background of the coaches?   If you are going to trust and pay a coach, you have the right to ask about their qualifications.  Look for facilities with degreed and certified coaches.  The National Strength and Conditioning Association is the gold standard in the industry and top coaches will possess their Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist designation.
  
  
• Where does the training protocol come from?  Be wary of companies who do not have a consistent methodology or training protocol.  Just like an academic tutor, an athletic training program should follow a proven curriculum.
  
  
• Is technique priority number one? – Don’t worry about how much weight your athlete is lifting, worry about the technique they use.  Good coaches always have athlete safety on their mind and an exercise done improperly is not worth the time spent doing it.  
  
  
• Do they have a system for measuring results?  Each company should have an objective way to show you gains made during their training program.  Athletes use this data to gauge their own improvement and performance coaches use this data to measure the efficacy of their training curriculum. 
  
  
• Are the coaches smiling?  Good coaches are role models for young athletes.  Positive reinforcement and feedback should be used at facilities that train youth athletes because a positive environment fosters learning.
  
  
• Is the staff accountable? Training is an investment, and as with any investment, you have the right to ask as many questions as you want.  Make sure that your questions are answered.  Any expert should be able to demonstrate their own expertise.

If there is a Velocity Sports Performance near you, put us to the test.  If not, begin your search for a training facility with the above in mind to ensure a positive and productive training experience.

Brent Callaway, Sports Performance Director at Velocity Sports Performance in Carlsbad, has trained numerous talented soccer players from the club, collegiate and professional ranks. Callaway holds a degree in Exercise Science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill where he was a 7 time All American in track and field. Callaway is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, is a USAW Club Coach and a certified SPARQ trainer.

About Velocity Sports Performance:
Velocity Sports Performance is a national network of training centers where athletes of all sports, ages and skill levels go to improve their core athletic skills - speed, power and agility. Athletes train in small groups with degreed and certified performance coaches. Velocity Sports Performance is the Official Performance Training Partner of Cal South Soccer. Players who train with Velocity Sports Performance can expect to get to the ball quicker, cover more of the field faster, increase their shot power and reduce their chances of injury. Velocity Sports Performance has training centers throughout Southern California including Irvine, Redondo Beach, Anaheim, Carlsbad, San Diego, West LA and Santa Clarita. You can also visit the Velocity Sports Performance booth at Soccer Nation Expo at the L.A. Convention Center on Feb. 21-22, 2009.