Long-term Athletic Development of the Young Rugby Player

Youths play sports for fun, to develop skills and for the psychosocial benefits associated with sports participation. Long-term athletic development is a concept that can support these aims within youth sports and develop happy and healthy young individuals. However, to successfully implement a long-term athletic development strategy, it is important to understand principles of paediatric exercise science including growth and maturation, how to develop athleticism (and reduce injury occurrence), enhance psychosocial skills and characteristics, and balance training loads. Focused on rugby, this chapter aims to (1) summarise the key research related to long-term athletic development, (2) present and discuss the practical application of the ten pillars of long-term athletic development proposed by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and (3) show how these principles can be delivered through a coaching session framework. Such information will help governing bodies, organisations and practitioners reflect and develop their practices for implementing long-term athletic development for all young rugby players.