Optimal Sports Academy

Training programs and competition schedules for children and adolescents should reflect the development needs of this age group of players. Long term athlete development (LTAD) focuses on the general framework of athlete’s development with special reference to growth, maturation and development, trainability and sport system alignment and integration.

Long-term planning is a characteristic and requirement of modern training. A well organised long-term training program greatly increases training efficiency for future competitions. In addition, it encourages a rational use of training means and methods to facilitate specific assessment of the athlete’s progress.

A specific and well-planned training, competition and recovery regime will ensure optimal development throughout an athlete’s career. Because success of an athlete comes from training and performing long-term rather than winning in the short-term.

Optimal Sports Academy Overview

The Optimal Sports Academy strives to facilitate athlete centred understanding, self management, accountability, and adherence to structured physical training through challenging training sessions and programs. The programs provide athletes with the necessary skills to develop a well balanced movement literacy background while advancing their training knowledge to prevent injuries and accomplish success.

The Academy is centered around the Athlete Development Model as displayed in the pyramid below. Without the foundation of the fundamental training skills, an athlete will struggle at a later level with increased injuries and a lack of training knowledge and skills.

FUNdamentals Stage
During the FUNdamental stage a wide range of sports are used to keep the athletes interested and having maximal enjoyment. A key focus at this stage is physical literacy which includes; coordination, balance, correct running techniques, jumping, throwing, catching and kicking components. The objective during this stage is to learn all fundamental movement skills and build overall motor skills.

Learn to Train Stage
The technical teaching and understanding of general skills (deceleration, acceleration, and force production) as well as specific lifting techniques (squat, front squat, and Olympic lifts) is paramount in the Learning to Train stage. Emphasis will be on ‘how’ certain skills are done and ‘why’ they are done that way to promote adherence. During this stage the objective is to learn overall sports skills.

Train to Train Stage
Throughout the Training to Train stage building a foundation of aerobic and strength for females and aerobic fitness for males is a main training goal once the onset of peak height velocity has occurred. During this stage revision of movement and technical skills will be encouraged as growth spurts will hinder coordination. The objective is to build an aerobic base, develop speed strength towards the end of the stage, and further develop and consolidate sport specific skills.

Train to Compete Stage
During the Training to Compete stage athletes will perform all year round, high intensity training based at an individuals event or sport with position specific training. Throughout this training athletes will learn to compete in diverse circumstances (hot, dry, humid, cold). Athletes will learn to perform both basic and sport-specific skills in competitive situations in training. The objective is to optimize the engine and learn to compete.

Train to Win Stage
Within the Training to Win stage athletes will learn to maximize fitness preparation and sport, individual, and position-specific skills as well as performance. Athletes are trained to peak for competitions, the athlete’s physical, technical, mental and ancillary capacities are now fully established Due to reduced training volumes during tournaments, qualities and capacities that have been established should be maintained The objective is to produce podium performances.

Program Benefits

Promote adherence through enjoyment
Based on health and youth science principles
Developed from adolescent science
Teaches activities based on individual growth
Trains each individual athlete according to their own age
Improved levels of balance, coordination and control
Increased speed, strength and power
Development of the aerobic / anaerobic energy systems
Decrease the risk of injuries
Improve injury recovery time
Ability to train sport specific technical and tactical components due to higher levels of physical awareness
Ability to cope with the physical and mental demands of training, games and competition
Enhanced potential of representing regional / national and international sports teams and academies due to greater strength, fitness, skill level and Optimal Sports contacts within the sporting industry.