The youth physical development model: A new approach to long-term athletic development

The development of physical fitness in young athletes is a rapidly expanding field of interest for strength and conditioning coaches, physical educators, sports coaches, and parents. Previous long-term athlete development models have classified youth-based training methodologies in relation to chronologic age groups, an approach that has distinct limitations. More recent models have attempted to bridge maturation and periods of trainability for a limited number of fitness qualities, although such models appear to be based on subjective analysis. The youth physical development model provides a logical and evidence-based approach to the systematic development of physical performance in young athletes.