Early specialization in sports has taken over this culture. Meaning,in order to be better at a sport, you must play the sport for as many hours as possible/year around. However, with athletic talent rising, and the game moving faster, the athletes ability to be in the moment and problem solve is a significant indicator. Early child development has shown that fitness increases brain memory.
In linking that to performance, that would correlate to better neural competency aka balance, reaction, coordination, body awareness and slowly down the road connect strength motor patterns such as a squat, lunge and broad jump. Creating healthy strength and power characteristics early will not only promote a healthy and active lifestyle but set the foundation to continually build other complex patterns at maturing ages when the pace of sport picks up and they need to be ready.
Think about what we as adults do when a task if difficulty frustrating? We put it to the side only to be presented with the same situation somewhere down to the road. So what is our adult solution. The one thing that we don't like to do...yep you got it. Ask someone else for help. Being shown the basics kickstarts our creativity to finish the task. For a young athlete it is very different. Not being coordinated or having centered balance prevents them from being more involved in their sport or activity. They too become disappointed and shy away from the sport. Its not that they don't like the sport, they don't feel confident to keep us with the pace. These are all areas that parents often request me to assist in improving in their children. Start with combining performance & fitness 15-30m/2 times a week and progress overtime to link with sport
Visit sdperformance1.com for more performance and wellness information. Training options available. ** Also, look at the SDP Beginner/Advanced Movement Series under FREE RESOURCES for ideas