Believe it or not, the fall season will be here soon! For many athletes, it’s a time to get back on the football field, soccer field, volleyball, tennis court, cross-country trail, or golf course. While many may have attended sports camps over the summer, others may have not. As parents, we want our kids to be able to get back out there and enjoy the competition.

It’s EXTREMELY important to ensure that your child is physically ready to start safely to prevent physical injury. As part of our Fitzgerald Athletes for Life program, we’d like to share a few ways to ensure a safe transition to fall sports:

Training starts now!

Don’t wait to start training! Depending on your child’s choice of sport, begin a workout routine now that includes endurance training, cardio training, strength training and core strengthening.

Some sport-specific examples:

• Football – requires a lot of running, blocking and skill-specific training such as throwing and catching. A strength and cardio plan will best support athletes and allow them to respond quicker to ball movements. Practice throwing and catching a football with a friend, parent or teammate.

• Soccer – is heavy in endurance and cardio training because of the amount of running required, but sport-specific skill development is also important. Practice “juggling” a soccer ball alone or kicking a soccer ball around with a friend.

• Volleyball – requires quick bursts of movement to respond to ball placement, as well as skills training to accurately volley between teammates. Practice passing and spiking the ball with a teammate.
• Tennis – requires endurance and the ability to quickly respond to ball movements. Core and strength training can help but are less important. Play “wall ball” alone or practice full court with a friend.
• Cross country is obviously running heavy, so young athletes need lots of endurance and cardio training. Core strengthening exercises (like planks or yoga) can also help.

• Golf training – largely skill-building to hit the ball as far and as accurately as possible, but endurance and knowledge-building (to choose the right club for each shot) also play a role. Putting practice can turn an average player into an elite player. Discover new challenges by playing different courses.

Endurance and cardio training

Weeks before your child’s sports season, we recommend all youth athletes begin endurance training, which includes running. If your child’s coach or athletic trainer recommends adding strength training to your child’s pre-season workout routine, you can modify the above to continue running every other day and alternate with strength training. How long your child should practice strength training will depend on their physical condition, sport and specific recommendations.

Strength training

Strength training is more than lifting on weight machines in the school or public gym. Many fall sports do not require heavy lifting – except perhaps football. Smaller weights – such as 5 lbs., 10 lbs., and 20 lbs. – are often effective at building strength for sports where agility is important (e.g., soccer, volleyball, cross-country).

Skills training

In addition to endurance, cardio and weight training, most young athletes also benefit from skills training to ramp-up specific skills used in their sport that have been dormant in recent months. Depending on your child’s sport, they can practice throwing, catching, kicking, hitting, passing, swinging and more. Try different courses, practice with different friends and build skills with each new turn.

Remember to have fun!

While there’s a lot for young athletes to remember this season, encourage them to focus on what they CAN do, rather than what they can’t. Injuries and pain can definitely put a damper on your youth’s back-to-sports routine; by encouraging them to prepare early, you can help them enjoy their sport even more!

Fitzgerald Athletes for Life program was created in order to help set all athletes up to be mobile and active throughout their lives -with minimal injury. Our goal is to help student athletes achieve the best success of being a healthy and injury-free adult and build habits now can help them be able to be active in the future. Click here to learn more about the program and our offerings.

Do you have a child getting ready to start fall sports, but experiencing pain? Visit our website here to learn how we can help or easily book your appointment online now!