My (Current) Favorite Exercise for Athletic Development

This summer, I’ve had the chance to work with athletes from multiple age-groups and skill levels to develop the foundational athleticism that will help them succeed in their favorite sports. I used it as an opportunity to see how certain exercises translate from one group to another. Time and time again, one exercise seemed to stand above the rest, checking all the developmental boxes, and doing so in a way the kids couldn’t get enough of. Meet Powerball, my new favorite athletic development exercise:

What I love about this exercise is that it positively develops so many athletic attributes:

·       Cutting

·       Reacting

·       Dodging

·       Tagging

·       Tracking

·       Sprinting

·       Finding open space

·       Creating space for teammates

·       Metabolic conditioning

·       Communicating

·       Defending as a team

·       Defensive positioning

·       Change of direction

·       Teamwork

·       Acceleration

·       Deceleration

The list could go on and on, but you get it.

What I think is most important about this game, however, is that while it develops all these amazing attributes, and does so in a way the kids love, it also does it in a way that actually translates to sports. The way they are accelerating, decelerating, cutting, and changing direction are the same way they will do so when the whistle blows. The commitment to finding open space, moving to move defenders, and creating space for their teammates to score, are all skills that are imperative to sporting success and can be hard to coach. This exercise does a great job teaching these skills in a way that makes sense to the kids and actually translates to success in sports.

If you’re interested in your 5-12-year-old experiencing exercises like this that will develop their athleticism, build their confidence, and help them succeed in their favorite sports, then consider enrolling in our Little Athlete Academy.