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By Coach Morgan Johnson
My experience as a developmental coach has been that parents are one of the largest influencing factors in the way youth athletes experience the sport of triathlon. For this reason, I provide here a list of suggestions that can improve the triathlon experience - for both you and your child.
- Find a coach.
- Skip the strict periodization, especially for younger athletes.
- Let them play other sports.
- Make it a game - drills can be fun!
- Use heart rate.
- Don't buy out the tri shop right away.
- Incorporate strength training daily.
- Make it about building character - not just beating the other.
- Make it a lifestyle for the whole family.
- KEEP IT FUN!
Find a coach. The truth is, it is difficult for parents to behave objectively towards their own children (or children towards their parents) - something that is necessary for coaching. Many parents who try to coach their own children, lack experience and knowledge in coaching youth athletes, and may find that their children do not respond to them. I learned quickly that it was insufficient to provide instructions to the parents - inevitably the parents would call and ask me to relay the information directly to the athletes. Coaches can also become additional role models for children, supplementing what parents work to teach them in the home. USAT and sites like TriFind offer wonderful resources for locating an experienced coach or team in your area.
Skip the strict periodization. This is an extreme statement (especially for parents who are endurance athletes themselves), but the fact is that introducing a periodized schedule too early in an athlete's career can ultimately lead to severe "burn out." This is just another way of saying "keep it fun." Children need play, and sports are one of the places that they should be getting it. If your child wants to ride their bike five days in a row - let them ride the bike! If they want to swim every day - let them swim! The fact is that in a lot of ways, children are better at listening to their bodies than we are as adults. They know when to go and when to stop - an instinct that should be encouraged. So instead of planning an intricate schedule for your child, guide them in a more general manner to focus on their limiters, while keeping the sport fun. This is an area where having an experienced youth coach is especially useful.
Let them play other sports. Research shows that young athletes who participate in a wide range of activities will experience more complete and balanced physical development, and actually be more likely to achieve athletic excellence as they grow older. When children participate in a variety of sports it gives them a chance to build different muscles, interact in a wide range of social situations, and become more confident in their general health and fitness. A good youth coach should be comfortable integrating other athletic activities into an athlete's program - be wary of any who say that an athlete should do only triathlon, particularly if the athlete has not yet reached his or her teen years. Of course, as athletes grow older, specialization becomes more appropriate.
Make it a game. This is another means of keeping it fun - if you want to keep your child interested, be creative in the way that training is presented. Throughout my years coaching youth athletes, myself and my fellow coaches have integrated many games such as "Tag," "Stop, Drop and Run", " Water Fetch", "Sharks and Minnows" and more. Games can also be used as a reward after a good training session. If you really want the games to be effective, have two or more athletes participating to increase the competitive edge. I am currently working on building a resource of training "games" that should be available for parents soon.
Use heart rate. I actually have to credit this tip to Justin Trolle of Vanguard Triathlon and USAT, who suggested using it with my one-on-one athletes. Using heart rate in training might sound like the opposite of "keeping it fun," but in reality it can be a great way for youth athletes to learn to know their bodies. The secret is that children do not necessarily need to use it the same way an adult would. They don't need "zones" and "resting heart rates" - my suggestion is to start by simply having your child wear the monitor during exercise, with a simple explanation of the information being displayed. Youth athletes will be fascinated by the insight into the way their body works, while simultaneously learning about the cardiovascular system that makes them able to be athletes. The most important aspect of using heart rate with any athlete, in my opinion, is a thorough instruction of how and why heart rate training works. Again, this is one area where having an experienced developmental coach can be extremely helpful.
Don't buy out the tri shop right away. It can be easy to get wrapped up in outfitting your athlete with top-of-the-line triathlon gear. But they will outgrow triathlon gear as quickly as they outgrow tennis shoes (or, in this case, running shoes - which can run upwards of a hundred dollars even for kids). Giving young athletes time to acclimate to the sport more casually will keep you from breaking the bank, and put less pressure on your children at the same time. At the end of the day, the only items your athlete absolutely needs to do triathlon are goggles, a working bike with brakes, running shoes, and a bicycle helmet. My suggestion however, is to get a decent bike - not necessarily a road bike, but at least a hybrid version, in good working order - if your athlete will be training with other children. It can be frustrating for children when they can't keep up with their friends/teammates. Now, this being said, there are benefits to more technically advanced gear and attire that may be worthwhile as your athlete becomes more involved with the sport.
Incorporate strength training daily. Read - do not take your child to the gym to pump iron! Strength training for younger athletes is almost all about body manipulation. Not to say that younger athletes can't lift some weights in some circumstances, but if your athlete is at that point, I would strongly suggest sending them to a coach who can create a sound training program for their age and condition. Otherwise, incorporating a quick mixture (no more than 10-15 minutes) of push-ups, crunches, lunges, squats, explosive movements, etc. every day is a great way of helping your young athlete develop his or her muscles (and bones!), while avoiding the injuries that can come from having children participate in long or intense weight training sessions. My athletes have used a check box program in the past, where the athlete with the most assigned exercises completed over a period of time got a prize - this is good incentive for something that can occasionally be tedious.
Make it about building character. Yes, triathlon is the new mowing-the-lawn-and-shoveling-the-snow for building character. In all of the youth athletes I have coached, I have seen great physical gain, but the most rewarding improvements - and the ones that will benefit them for a lifetime - are the changes in character. I think all parents with children involved in sports programs would agree that the growth that occurs in leadership skills, teamwork, fair play, and perseverance for athletes is invaluable - and triathlon is no exception to the rule. Moreover, those parents who involve their children in the sport with the intention of building character, and with coaches who have a focus on building character, will see even more exceptional growth. While triathlon is wonderful for physical development, the emotional and mental development it encourages is equally beneficial for children, and I encourage parents to make this aspect of the sport as important for their athletes as the physical aspect.
Make it a lifestyle for the whole family. I mean healthy, active living in general. One of the most gratifying experiences as a coach is seeing an entire family transform because of a child's passion for triathlon - and kids take their cues for living life from you, and if exercise is a part of your life, they will want to make it a part of theirs. Go swimming, biking, and running as a family; practice healthy cooking and eating together; go for a camping/hiking trip; have a weekly/monthly family activity day where the whole family tries a new sport; plant a garden with healthy fruits and vegetables; participate in a bike rally together... whatever - but make it healthy and fun, and do it as a family.
Keep it fun. OK... with the overly-competitive climate that has recently developed in youth sports, I feel like this can't be stated enough. Winning a local kids triathlon is not likely going to affect your child's life long-term. An enjoyment for healthy, active living and a love for sport and fair play will. The last thing you want is for your child to burn out before they even make it to college (or high school, in some cases). Keep it fun, keep it interesting, and keep it fresh.
Remember - if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at morgan@playtri.com. We are here to make triathlon fun and healthy for your kids!
Morgan Johnson is a USAT Level I Certified Coach, and the Lead Developmental Coach and Assistant Camps Director for Playtri. She also coaches the University of North Texas Triathlon Team.
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developmental coach has been that parents are one of the largest influencing factors in the way youth athletes experience the sport of triathlon. For this reason, I provide here a list of suggestions that can improve the triathlon experience - for both you and your child...
