Sport clubs and organizations are a key part of both the youth and adult sport experience in the United States. By using key ADM concepts, a sport club can focus on growing their athletes and teams into success stories. Below are 10 key recommendations to help maximize a sport club's impact on the athlete’s sport experience:
- Limit cuts for ages 0-12 in sport programs and focus on developing skills over competition outcomes.
- Use the NGB's sport pathway to design the club's development pathway for participation and competition offerings.
- Provide physical literacy (i.e. agility, balance, coordination training) at every practice for every level.
- Periodize training and rest time for athletes to cut down on overuse injuries and burnout.
- Encourage multi-sport/activity and cross-training to keep athletes active and developing outside of the club's program.
- Use developmentally appropriate drills and practice plans at all levels.
- Provide qualified and certified coaches at all age levels.
- Keep participation/competition costs reasonable. Find ways to increase numbers and retention rates from year to year, season to season.
- Provide quality feedback and age-appropriate development benchmarks to parents and athletes.
- Operate with an athlete-focused philosophy by creating fun, engaging and challenging sport experiences across all levels of development.
