RESULTS! That’s what we all crave at the end of the day. Regardless if it’s your 21 day fitness challenge or your child’s sports performance program. Parents want to know if they have made a quality investment…
At minimum is the return on the investment equal to the value paid and hopefully you are getting more value than you expected. The best strength and conditioning places, mentors and coaches are constantly over delivering.
Which is one problem within the sports performance industry too many coaches and facilities are fighting on price. The GREAT ones focus on the value provided to you as a parent and your child.
We will not go down that rabbit hole. Save that discussion for another day!
But I also think as parents it’s important that you understand and know what to look for in a training program. Insuring that your child and money is being put in the right place.
3 Warning Signs In Sports Performance
Let’s jump into three of the most common warning signs I see from young athletes. These typically show that either they need a break or to move on to a higher quality sports performance system.
These are in no particular order.
Warning Sign #1: Feeling Less Motivated
Is your child excited about going to their training sessions or are they fighting you that they would rather stay home. Trust me I understand that it can be a love-hate relationship…
Kids understand that it might be tough but in all my years of experience kids enjoy challenges. Again going back to the previous blog on progress equals happiness. How can kids expect to make progress if they are not pushed and held accountable.
The interesting part here is oftentimes it’s the younger ones that become addicted. They love the challenge of trying to keep up with the older kids.
Then on top of that, kids for the most part are craving discipline. Therefore there is this piece inside of them that enjoys being held to the same standards as the older athletes.
We have also discussed the topic of goals and how they drive us as human beings. If kids are not excited and motivated about chasing after and crushing their goals, it’s probably not the best program for them.
This goes down to a much deeper level. Very few IF ANY sports performance programs know how to guide and advise kids on HOW to set their goals…
I see it over and over again. Coaches that say things like “Go home and write down your goals for this season”…
Seriously how excited do you think your 8, 12, or 15 year old was when he wrote something down. That’s assuming they actually took the time to write something down. Most kids just see exercises like that as a waste of time.
Or even worse is when they write down goals they think either the coach and/or parents want to hear…
It’s extremely difficult to get motivated about goals that you do care about in your heart.
I have learned in my own personal life how important the concept of goal setting. It’s important they understand actually HOW to set goals and what it means for my own motivation.
That would be another important thing to look for within your child’s sports performance program. The quality of teaching and guiding your child on setting goals. If they are not motivated to get in there and crush some goals, a piece of the puzzle is missing!
I have had parents of a 3rd grader asking what to do because their son wanted to come to our 6am morning group with some older athletes 3x a week…
They mentioned he gets up on his own and dressed and ready…
The parents feared potential burnout…
My response is simple. Keep bringing him 3 days a week and the moment he loses his mojo to get up and be there cut it off! He ended up coming for 4 months until he got busy with all his sports!
And that is a perfect transition into the next warning sign…
Warning Sign #2: Feeling Low Energy
There is some spill over on low energy and motivation, but I want to focus on the physical low energy levels here…
The right strength and conditioning program for your child is designed to boost their energy! I have said it a thousand times and will continue to scream it from the top of the building that your child’s sports program is not designed to run them into the ground everyday!
Yes, it does need to be challenging but how are they ever going to see any progress or feel any kind of motivation if they are constantly getting their body and minds destroyed.
And this is the same on the other end of the spectrum that it should not be too easy for them either…
Expert coaches understand and know the balance based on the individual when it’s appropriate to push them and when to ease off them…
But I also witness so many programs that make the program so easy in fear of pushing them or the parents away because it was too difficult. Again it’s my belief from experience that kids want to be pushed. They want to be challenged.
It’s an understanding about which phase of training they are in. Are they in pre-season, post-season or in-season because they need to be doing something most of the entire year.
Again it comes down to ego with many coaches about wanting to prove that they know how to design “tough” programs…
Big warning sign that it may not be the best fit for you or your child.
Because recovery is just as important if not more important than the actual training itself.
It does not make any logical sense to train your body with precision for an hour or hour plus each day and then spend the remaining 22 or 23 hours destroying it with lack of sleep, lack of stretching and poor eating habits.
It’s another reason why I believe mentorship is the most important thing your child can have in their life right now.
The right mentor and advisor for your child is the greatest investment you can make!
Which leads right into the last warning sign…
Warning Sign #3: Your Environment Sucks
This is arguably the easiest to see before you even sign your child up.
To be honest it’s probably the first question I would ask another coach before I put my child in any type of sports performance programs…
Do the coaches invest in themselves?
And if they claim yes, I would ask for proof…
Most coaches across the country spend little or zero time putting themselves in a powerful outside environment.
I once read that you should invest a minimum of 10% of your income per year back into yourself. If they are not willing to invest in themselves what does they say about their long term environment…
How can you expect there continue to be high levels of value poured into your child because once they tell them everything they know. The well has then run dry.
It’s kinda like my claim above that mentorship is the greatest investment for your child…
If you asked me if I had a mentor and my answer was no, what would that do to our trust level…
But I know without a shadow of a doubt that your child having a strong mentor in their life is critical! I have spent tens of thousands of dollars and continue to spend money to have strong mentors in my own life…
There are months I have spent about $4,000/month in mentorship.
Or how about this one…
How many places or coaches have you heard make the claim, something along the lines, of “We are teaching these kids things bigger than sports”…
Now they do not have to be spending thousands of dollars but what books are they reading to invest in themselves to be able to provide more value to your child…
Do they attend events?
Have they invested in research?
Online programs?
Heck there are free ones online to get involved in like Facebook groups where you can mastermind together with thousands of like minded people.
Environment and culture starts at the top. It is a massive red flag if the coaches are not investing back into their own environment!
Elite Sports Performance
I know I do not need to tell you this, but I am going to anyway…
Your child deserves the best!!
They deserve to live vibrant, full of energy, motivated and with an environment that is constantly pouring value into their lives…
So I ask you…
So what if you had a more confident, happier, healthier, self-motivated, thought provoking, action taking, dreamer and creator son/daughter, student, person or friend? What would that be worth to you?
Maybe you can see that’s why people pay hundreds or thousands per month because it’s not a cost. IT’S AN INVESTMENT!
It’s why I have spent nearly the last decade developing a system that I know change’s people’s lives!
They deserve it!