•    Programming focuses on performing age-appropriate drills to reduce chance of injury &
•    maximize individual, athletic-potential. 
•    Programs progress from simple to complex & more specialized as athlete reaches next developmental level.
•    Most US Olympians report 12- to 13-years of LTAD from introduction to sport until Olympics.
•    Early specialization in one sport is detrimental to later stages of movement development.

Goals
•    Develop LTAD-curriculum for parents & coaches 
•    Adjust competition schedules, based on LTAD goals.
•    Promote development of motor-skills along with sport-skills.
•    Incorporate motor-skills into skill-specific practices for younger children, especially during warm-up.
•    Coordinate practice & game-scheduling between sport-organizations, coaches, & parents.

Age-Classification: Chronological-Age vs. Developmental-Age
•    Most sport-training & competition programs are based on chronological age.
•    Research shows that chronological age is difficult indicator to categorize athletic development for athletes
•    between the ages 10-18 due to wide variation in physical, cognitive & emotional development.  
•    Athletes of same age can be 5 years apart developmentally. 

Athletic Movement-Foundation  
•    Run, skip, rotate, jump, hop
•    Balance-control & coordination, speed, agility
•    Kick, throw, catch, dribble, pass

Optimal Windows of Trainability 
•    Refers to “critical” period in athletic development that youth athletes respond faster to training due to multiple
•    development factors: hormonal, strength, & nervous System.
•    Athletes always trainable, but effectiveness declines with age.
•    Dynamic-Flexibility & Mobility: between ages 8-10
•    Strength: 12 to 18 months after puberty.
•    Speed & Agility: Window 1 occurs between ages 8-10 and 2nd window occurs between ages 13-16
•    Skill-Development: between ages 9-12 

Optimal Training & Competition Ratios 
•    Level & length of competitive season must be aligned w/changing, developmental needs of athlete.
•    Over-competition & under-training in early stages of LTAD stages is detrimental to long-term success.
•    Appropriate level of competition critical to mental development. 
•    Phase 1     Age 8-12:  70% Practice & Training/30% Game
•    Phase 2    Age 13-15:  60% Practice & Training/40% Game
•    Phase 3    Age 16-18:  50% Practice & Training/50% Game
•    Phase 4    College:  40% Practice & Training/60% Game
•    Phase 5    Professional:  30% Practice & Training/70% Game