“Sport-specific training” has become a buzzword in youth sports. Parents often hear that their child needs workouts tailored to a specific sport like soccer, basketball, lacrosse, or football.

But here’s the truth:

Most sport-specific training is not what young athletes actually need.

Why?

Kids and teens are still developing the foundational athletic qualities that matter most for long-term success:

• Strength

• Coordination

• Speed

• Balance

• Body control

Without these fundamentals, even the most detailed sport-specific workouts will deliver limited results.

This is why true youth performance training focuses on building complete athletic development before layering on sport skills.

What Actually Improves Sports Performance

The most effective youth athletic training programs focus on:

• Strength development

• Linear and lateral speed mechanics

• Change of direction training

• Balance & coordination work

• Landing mechanics & deceleration

• Mobility & stability training

These elements create strong, efficient movers — which leads directly to better performance in any sport.

This approach forms the athletic base that every young athlete needs for speed, power, and injury prevention.

Sport-Specific Training Comes Later

Once an athlete has established their foundation, sport-specific progressions start to make a real impact:

• Volleyball/basketball → jumping mechanics & landing patterns

• Baseball/lacrosse → rotational power development

• Soccer/football → acceleration mechanics & change of direction

Sport-specific training works best after the fundamentals are in place — not instead of them.

The Ave’s Approach

At The Ave, we train “the athlete first, the sport second.”

This philosophy ensures:

• Long-term athletic development

• Reduced injury risk

• Faster, stronger, more coordinated athletes

• Better transfer to any sport

• Confidence in movement and performance

Our youth performance training programs focus on what actually builds athletes — not trends, shortcuts, or gimmicks.

Foundation first. Sport second. Results always.