Building a Strong Foundation: Early Athlete Development for Young Athletes

When it comes to developing young athletes, the path to success starts long before they step onto a competitive field or court. A strong foundation is key to long-term growth and athletic potential, and it begins with the fundamentals: movement, balance, coordination, and the love for sports. This crucial stage, often referred to as the “Learn to Move” phase, sets the stage for future athletic achievements.

However, training children is not the same as training adults. This is where Earn the Edge Foundations Program shines—an exclusive program that tailors training specifically to young athletes, addressing their unique developmental needs. With a focus on building a solid base of athleticism, Earn the Edge’s approach emphasizes fun, functional exercises that nurture a child’s coordination, strength, balance, and mobility, creating a powerful and lasting foundation for future athletic success.

Why Early Athlete Development Matters

Early athlete development is about more than just getting kids to play sports. Research shows that the first 6-8 years of a child’s physical development are critical for motor skill acquisition and establishing physical literacy—the ability to move with competence and confidence. This period, known as the "fundamental movement skills" phase, is where children develop the core abilities needed for every sport. According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), children who develop a solid

foundation of motor skills are more likely to remain active throughout their lives, reduce their risk of injury, and excel in sports as they age.

But here's the catch: it's not just about practicing sports—it’s about practicing movement. A child who can run, jump, skip, hop, and throw with ease will naturally excel in sports that require these movements. When young athletes have a variety of fundamental movement skills, they develop the flexibility and resilience needed to adapt to any sport.

Why Training Young Athletes Requires Specialized Knowledge

Many parents and even coaches may assume that training children is just a scaled-down version of training adults. But the truth is, children’s bodies are still growing, and their motor control, strength, and neurological systems are developing at a rapid pace. This means that the approach to training young athletes needs to be carefully structured, fun, and age-appropriate.

Training young athletes without a solid understanding of their developmental needs can lead to poor movement habits, injuries, or burnout. Unlike adults, young athletes lack the physical maturity and mental readiness to handle advanced strength training techniques, high-intensity conditioning, or specialized sports drills. That’s why programs designed specifically for youth, like Earn the Edge Foundations Program, are so vital. These programs focus on helping young athletes build physical literacy while keeping training engaging and enjoyable.

Earn the Edge Foundations Program: A Fun, Functional Approach

The Earn the Edge Foundations Program takes the science of early sport development and translates it into a fun, dynamic experience that focuses on essential movement patterns—balance, coordination, strength, and mobility—while introducing the core concepts of sport in an enjoyable and accessible way.

Rather than pushing kids into intense sport-specific drills or heavy lifting, the program prioritizes playful activities that help children develop their athleticism. Through games and interactive exercises, young athletes build the foundation needed to move confidently through the "learn to train" phase of development, setting them up for future success in their chosen sports.

Fun Games That Build Strength, Coordination, Mobility, and a Base of Movement

1. Animal Walks Animal walks are a fantastic way to teach children balance, strength, and coordination. Have them mimic animals like bears, crabs, and frogs as they crawl, hop, or walk across the floor. These simple movements engage core muscles, enhance flexibility, and promote coordination, all while having fun. For example, crab walking helps strengthen arms and core muscles, while frog jumps build lower body strength and power.

2. Obstacle Courses Obstacle courses are not only fun but effective in promoting agility, coordination, and balance. Setting up an obstacle course with cones, ladders, ropes, and tunnels gives children the opportunity to move in different planes and directions, challenging their proprioception and balance. These courses can include jumping over obstacles, crawling through tunnels, hopping from one platform to another, or balancing on beams—all helping to develop a child’s motor skills in a playful context.

3. Medicine Ball Toss The medicine ball toss helps children develop upper body strength, coordination, and explosive power. By tossing a soft, lightweight medicine ball to a partner or against a wall, children learn how to engage their core and legs in an integrated movement. This exercise teaches proper throwing mechanics, hand-eye coordination, and coordination between the upper and lower body, all while making them feel like they're part of a game.

4. Balance Drills on Stability Balls Balance drills using stability balls or balance pads help children improve their core strength, coordination, and balance. Starting with simple static balance (sitting on the ball or pad) and advancing to dynamic movements like squatting or reaching in different directions, these drills activate the deep stabilizing muscles and prepare children for more complex movements in their future sports activities.

5. Tag Games with Directional Changes Classic games like tag can be adapted to challenge a young athlete’s speed, agility, and coordination. Adding elements that require changes in direction—such as stopping on a whistle or running around cones—helps develop quick footwork and the ability to adjust body position rapidly. These skills are fundamental for almost every sport, from soccer to basketball.

Building a Lifelong Foundation

At Earn the Edge, we believe that building a strong foundation early on helps young athletes develop a lifelong love for movement and sports. The goal is not just to create athletes but to foster confident, capable kids who enjoy being active. Through our Foundations Program, children not only learn how to move—they discover how to have fun with movement, which is the most important aspect of early athletic development.

Research supports that children who engage in a variety of movement activities during their formative years are better prepared for sports in the future. The key to developing a top-tier athlete isn’t focusing solely on one sport too early but instead providing opportunities for varied, fun, and engaging experiences that build athleticism and a love for sports.

As parents, it's important to understand that the “learn to move” stage is the bedrock of your child’s athletic journey. Programs like Earn the Edge Foundations Program offer a scientifically backed, professional approach to training that’s tailored for young athletes, ensuring they have the skills, confidence, and joy to move forward into more specialized training when the time is right.

By focusing on fundamental movement, balance, and coordination in a playful, engaging environment, you’re setting your child up for a lifetime of athletic success.