Concentrating on the process as opposed to the result of a competition leads to better development.
The middle school years begin to separate those that choose to invest in their training and pursue a competitive path while others may participate at a recreational level. During this time, athletes start to focus on the sport of their choice, establishing sport specific skills and building their strength and conditioning.
The growth spurt for boys ages 12-16 has been described by sport science professionals as a vital “window of opportunity” for athlete development. This is the all-important stage at which boys are physiologically responsive to coaching and training.
It is important that youths play and do their best to win, but this is the time for skill training and physical development, not winning (process vs. outcome). This approach is critical to developing top performers who are planning to stay in the game for many years to come. NJBA ensures that our players have the correct training-to-competition ratio.
Training Periodization
