Motor skill training for young athletes

The abilities to run and jump, throw and catch, and dynamically balance on one leg are all movement skills that young athletes are expected to be able perform competently when they enter sporting pathways. With respect to the motor skill development, it is often misconstrued that children will innately develop motor skill proficiency simply as a result of growth and development. However, it is now evident that exposure to appropriately prescribed, well-coached, suitably progressed, strength and conditioning programmes is vitally important to facilitate the acquisition of motor skills in youth. Effective motor skill execution is governed by the efficient combination of cognitive processing, correct fundamental movement patterns and muscular force production. The development of muscular strength is covered in depth in Chapter 7; therefore, although reference is made to the importance of muscular strength for motor skill function throughout, the primary focus of this chapter is the development of fundamental movement skills in young athletes.