Dave's Forsgate Fitness Tips

Dave Kopf

Are you tired of your child not getting enough playing time in their sport?

As a parent naturally you want the best for your child, and you want to see them succeed but most of all you want them to be enthusiastic and develop a sense of pride in their endeavors.  When it comes to playing sports nothing can be more demoralizing than not getting enough playing time in their sport of choice.  As a parent you know better than any coach what your child’s true potential is, and now you share your child’s growing frustration with not getting a chance to showcase their true potential amongst their peers and even coaches.  Talking with the coach after practice or a game will only get you so far, and with some coaches may even black ball your child.  “Everyone is born with raw talent, however it is up to them to develop it” (Nolan Ryan arguably the greatest pitcher of all time).  

Skills developed in early childhood give kids a head start in competitive games and organized sports later on as school-age kids and teens are provided opportunities for expending the huge amounts of energy at their command.

There is a direct correlation between athleticism and age.  The optimal time to introduce motor development training, or Gross motor training which is using large groups of muscles to sit, stand, walk, run, etc., keeping balance, and changing positions, takes place from age 5-9. There is also speculation that the general window of opportunity for most behavioral functions narrows considerably around age 10. The Cerebellum, The Hypothalamus, and The Thalamus all play a vital role in fine and gross motor functions.

Proper Motor development in children is so vital for future success in kids that it should not be overlooked in your practices or development of the athlete.  The wrong approach can ruin the game for any athlete.  Remember they are only kids and the right approach can mean the different from someone playing and succeeding later in their playing career or someone quitting because they hate their soccer coach.

Having your child work one on one with a Personal Trainer here at Forsgate Country Club may be just what they need to succeed.  We are able to show improvements by increasing motor unit recruitment, the speed at which their fast twitch muscle fibers fire and teach them proper foot progression patterns all while increasing their strength, balance and agility. In order for them to be the best they have to train with the best.

Call to set up your child’s personal training session with Dave at 732-521-8049