Long-Term Athletic Development Special Topic Issue

Abstract

Welcome to the Long-term Athletic Development (LTAD) special issue of Strength and Conditioning Journal. LTAD remains a “hot topic” within the strength and conditioning and health and fitness industries. The NSCA position statement on LTAD acknowledges that all youth, irrespective of their ages, abilities, or aspirations, should engage in LTAD programs, promote physical fitness and psychosocial wellbeing (1). Those working within the field of LTAD have a unique ability to positively influence the athletic development of talented young athletes, children engaged in recreational physical activity, or those youth who are physically inactive. The true bridging of science and practice will remain a point of speculation for some time. However, rather than debating whether it should be “evidence-based practice” or “practice-based evidence,” we should seek to facilitate a synergistic relationship between scientific enquiry and real-world application for the sake of the children and adolescents we work with. Indeed, the interaction between science and practice will always lead to better results than the sum of the individual parts. To that extent, a broad range of articles have been compiled in this LTAD special issue that provide scientific insights and practical strategies that readers can apply immediately within their programs. Faigenbaum et al. address the 9 “F-words” that highlight the sociological, physiological, and psychological correlates of youth physical activity that can help inform research and practice, whereas Van Hooren and De Ste Croix provide a critical appraisal questioning the existence of sensitive periods of training for children and adolescents. Kelly and Williams also provide a narrative review on talent identification and development processes with specific reference to youth soccer. Practitioners are often looking to develop their “coaching toolbox,” and Gebel et al. provide insights into training methodologies for developing balance, while Myburgh et al. offer practical solutions to make the most of session warm-ups. Radnor and colleagues present long-term strategies for developing athletic motor skill competencies in young athletes, which is complemented by the article from Morris et al. that examines approaches for the development of weightlifting ability. Cahill et al. also provide a critical review detailing how sled pushing and pulling can be effectively integrated into the programs of young athletes. The special issue also has articles that touch on some contemporary issues in LTAD. Scantlebury et al. provide a commentary on methods of navigating the complexities of load management in young athletes, whereas Hannon et al. present an overview of the nutritional recommendations for young athletes to supplement training, growth, and development. Read et al. propose “7 pillars” to help inform programming decisions to reduce injury risk in young athletes. It goes without saying that the strength of this special issue is salient on the quality of the authored articles. These pieces of work take time and effort to compose, and I would personally like to thank all lead authors and their authorship teams for their outstanding contributions. I also express my deepest gratitude to the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Jeff Chander, for first entrusting and then encouraging me throughout the editorial process of this special issue. Thanks must go to the associate editors and reviewers who helped “fine tune” the articles and to Dr. Britt Chandler for his ongoing support as the managing editor. Finally, I thank all of you who work to inspire and prepare our young athletes for the future; keep up the great work!