International Journal of School and Cognitive Psychology
Open Access

Abstract

Adolescent Growth and Development with Implications for Youth Sports Coaches

Butterfield SA

The past 20 years have witnessed a rapid growth in youth and school based sports. With about 60 million American youth participating in organized sports, the need has never been greater for coaches that understand the rapid physical and emotional changes that occur during adolescence, especially during peak height velocity. The purpose of this commentary is to advocate for applying scientific principles of adolescent growth and development to youth sports coaching. The vehicle for this argument is a hypothetical high school and two fictitious coaches. It was concluded that well-informed and reflective coaches could readily apply basic principles of adolescent growth and development to practice design and game competition. The likely results include a better, safer, more rewarding experience for millions of youth.