Coaching experts Jim Kiltyand Liam Hennessybegin their new series with the introductory topic of Long Term Athlete/Player Development Pathway

EVERY YOUNG athlete or player has a keen interest in learning the skills relating to the sports in which they are involved. This occurs naturally, particularly if they experience any form of success during their younger years. They will, obviously enough, make the presumption that if they practise the skills involved in the sport they will become better, more efficient and more effective at the sport.

Among club and team mentors, there tends to be a philosophy of looking for "winners" in the early and mid-teenage years. Of course this will always be a priority, even if only due to human nature alone. The chase for immediate competition skill, speed, strength, power, agility and endurance often dominates mentors' or coaches' training plans as they strive to have a "winner at all ages". This is a major limitation of many of the current strategies employed by coaches. This results in vital functional development being missed.

The major problem with this approach is the large number of athletes with limitations in their physical and technical qualities as they mature. Consideration needs to be given to the long-term process of development. The overriding strategy must be to develop the all round athlete or player before focusing solely on sport-specific development. It is important to remember that the older the athlete or player becomes the harder it is to "right" the "wrongs" of the past.

At the senior level of elite performance the occurrence of injury or the failure of a skill under pressure can often be traced back to a mismanaged developmental stage. Athletes and players will be more equipped to sustain and survive the rigours of training at the elite level if they are carefully encouraged towards the next layer of adaptation. This approach and continuity will help to lower the number of high achieving young athletes who fail to make it to the senior ranks. When a sound functional development programme is followed it not only helps to improve performance but may help to prevent injuries (Herman and Smith 2008, Bishop 2003, McMillan et al 2006).

Over the next couple of months this series of coaching articles will concentrate on the implementation of the Long Term Athlete/Player Development Pathway. We will lead the young athlete to develop him or herself not just for present success but more importantly, for success over the longer term.

The content of the series of articles may be used by the athlete/player to develop functional competency, improved movement mechanics and greater all round fundamental sports skills. This will enable the teenage athlete/player to bring a more rounded, developed and functionally more competent body to future sporting participation.

These notes are contributed by Dr Liam Hennessy and Jim Kilty of Setanta College, the Institute of Strength and Conditioning Studies. (www.setantacollege.com)