"Age Appropriate" a simple and powerful call to action for any sports program.

"Children are not mini-adults"  Remember this as you read this article.

I've been spending a lot of time on both ends of the education equation in my adult years.  In the world of sports and education, I can claim to have experiences both as a learner and educator.

Being a participant in those worlds, I enjoy reading about the theory and science of learning and teaching.  One thing has become obvious to me: Canadian Soccer's LTPD is probably the most powerful, decisive and courageous educational/philosophical shift I have ever seen.

There are a lot of guidelines and background information to support programs but the two most important words to me are "age appropriate".  You can present opinions and arguments against
LTPD based on your adult values, but you cannot argue the value of everything a child is involved in as being age appropriate.

"The goal is to have programs that are player-centred.  If you do not fully understand who you are working with and rely on your experiences and values, your program will be adult-centred."

The very phrase "age appropriate" should not only serve to describe the program that is being delivered, it's also a call to action in how everybody involved should shape their attitudes. 

It's very easy for adults to design programs and environments that reflect their values.  At any point in their life, people are most comfortable living with the values that pertain to them at that moment.  It's only human to think your way is the best way.  But that's not what age appropriate programming is about.

It's ALWAYS applicable.

What is it?  Here are some key comments that I found to help describe it:

• "The group-based activity matches the training and experience of participants. The group has the ability to successfully complete the activity."  Boy Scouts of America

• "In order to help youth achieve their potential, it is critically important to recognize the developmental needs and abilities."  Texas A&M Youth Development Initiative

• "Developmentally appropriate also means we must take into account the young children we serve, and be responsive to their needs. Routines and consistency are extremely important, but we also need to allow for flexibility at times, based on what the children “tell us” through their behavior. Whenever possible, our program decisions should be child-centered."  123child.com

"Age Appropriate" has been a very useful phrase for me.  Over the course of a week I could (and have) find myself facing learners ranging from kindergarten to high school to college to adult soccer coaches.  The phrase helps me get into the right mindset for that day's mission.

The first thing you need to successfully develop and deliver an age appropriate program is extensive knowledge of the learners in your care and the development stage they are in.  When we deliver the "Learn to Train" course for the Ontario Soccer Association, we review and discuss the characteristics of that development stage for children/athletes between U8 and U12.  While we work with coaches to address their players needs, we as Learning Facilitators are delivering a course designed to address and harness the characteristics and strengths of the adult learner (the coaches in our course).

What do you know about the players you are working with?  Seriously, how well do you know the characteristics of those players:

• What development stage are they in and what are the physical/mental/social/emotional characteristics of athletes in that stage?

• How do they learn?

• What do they want to do?  Why are they there?

• What can their bodies handle?  What do their bodies need?

• What situations and information can their minds/emotions handle? 

• What do they care about most? (you may be surprised/disappointed in the true answer)

• Who are the important people in their life?  The answer at U6 is not the same as the answer at U13.

• What is their attention span?

• What else is going on in their life?

• What have they learned up to this point?

The goal is always to have programs that are player-centred.  If you do not fully understand who you are working with and rely on your experiences and values, your program will be adult-centred.

There is a challenge to delivering a player-cented, age-appropriate program.  You, as an adult coach, have to be aware enough to put your values and interests aside and to stand by your program when other adults wonder why you are disregarding their values and interests.  This is especially true when the program is for athletes U12 and below.  People will use cliche arguments such as "you're coddling the kids" or "we are shielding them from reality".  They use those arguments because they have no real argument.  Stick to your guns.

"Here is your tip of the day: when the contents of your session directly address the characteristics and needs of the player, you are delivering an age appropriate program"

The confusing part about all this is that North American society picks and chooses when they want age appropriate programming and when they choose to ignore it.  

If your Grade 1 teacher did not deliver a Grade 1 level curriculum to their class,  parents would burn the school down.  Some would leave school, wondering why their child is not being shown the patience to learn how to read then takes them to sports wondering why their soccer coach is not able to get them to keep possession like Juventus.

Moving into an age appropriate mindset is challenging.  It was difficult for me and many people I know, but I am a far better coach today than I was 4 years ago.  It becomes even more difficult when the environment that your team plays in is not age appropriate.  Removing adult values is a major shift in the North American sports culture and requires practice and focus on the coach's part. 

http://sportscoachuk.org/blog/so-what-developmentally-appropriate-sport-richard-bailey

http://www.momsteam.com/youth-sports-coaches-should-set-realistic-age-appropriate-expectations-and-take-child-centered-approach

http://www.movementum.com/age_appropriate_conditioning.htm