MODELS OF LONG TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

1
MODELS OF LONG TERM
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Machar Reid and Miguel Crespo
LEVEL 3 COACHES COURSE

SPECIALISATION OF
2
TRAINING
SPORTS
EARLY SPECIALISATION
LATE SPECIALISATION
Require early sport-specific
specialisation in training.
Require a generalised approach to early training
(i.e. in tennis, emphasis on developing/ mastering
fundamental motor and perceptual motor skills
such as running, throwing and catching.)
Gymnastics, figure skating and diving
Tennis, hockey, athletics
LEVEL 3 COACHES COURSE
(Balyi and Hamilton, 1999).

MAKING IT TO THE TOP
3
8-12 years of training for a talented
athlete to reach elite levels (Bloom, 1985;
Ericsson and Charness, 1994).
10 YEAR or 10,000 HOUR (slightly
more than 3 hours of practice daily for
10 years) RULE (Salmela, 1998).
In tennis, specialisation is not
recommended prior to age 10 if early
burn out/ drop out/ retirement is to be
avoided (Balyi, 1999 and 2001 a; Harsanyi, 1983).
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4
MODELS OF
TRAINING/DEVELOPMENT
EARLY SPECIALISATION MODEL
LATE SPECIALISATION MODEL
1. Training to Train
2. Training to Compete
3. Training to Win
4. Retirement
1. FUNdamental
2. Learning to Train
3. Training to Train
4. Training to Compete
5. Training to Win
6. Retirement
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Training up to ≈ 12
5
STAGES
STRENGTH/
POWER
COMPONENTS OF NEUROMUSCULAR FITNESS
SPEED
AEROBIC
ENDURANCE
CO-
ORDINATION
FLEXIBILITY
FUN-damental
M – 6-9 years
F – 6-8 years
Learning to
Train
motor coord.
BW exercises
(to relative
strength)
First
window;
challenge
CNS (

Training players aged ≈ 12 -16 years 6
PHYSIOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT OF AEROBIC ENDURANCE (AE)
> 12 years = good improvements in VO2 max; < 12 = improved movement economy
largely responsible for AE.
> 12 years = gender differences in AE, as girls have lower absolute and relative amount
of lean tissue and greater accumulation of body fat.
TRAINING
• Session = 30-45 minutes (HR 130 -160bpm) + warm-up and cool down.
• Non-weight bearing aerobic activities help to prevent overuse injuries, such as Osgood-
Schlatter disease.
• Cross training (i.e. soccer, touch rugby, water polo, frisbee...) to specifically stress the
aerobic system.
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Training players aged ≈ 12 -16 years 7
PHYSIOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT OF ANAEROBIC ENDURANCE (AAE)
• Trainability of AAE in players < 14 is limited.
• Low rates of glycogen utilisation and decreased intra-muscular glycogen
concentrations.
• 14/U players unable to tolerate blood and muscle lactate concentrations that are as
high.
TRAINING
• >14 years, AAE training would be performed at a near maximal intensity (work:rest
ratios ≈ 1:4).
• On-court no more than 8 strokes played/set (i.e. lactate < 8-10mmol/l) to maintain
coordinative performance.
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Training players aged ≈ 12 -16 years 8
DEVELOPMENT OF SPEED
Second speed window is 11–12 years (females) and 13-16 years (males) (Viru, 1995; Viru et
al., 1998).
Introduction of anaerobic alactic power and anaerobic alactic capacity interval training
all year round (i.e. at end of warm-ups) will not interfere with development objectives.
Linear and multi directional movement speed should be trained both on-court and offcourt.
TRAINING
QUALITY
WORK REST INTENSITY
MODE
ALACTIC POWER
Isolated or combined
speed-plyo drills
1-5 seconds 2-3 minutes
Maximal
ALACTIC CAPACITY
As for Alactic Power
but longer duration,
greater amplitudes.
< 10 seconds 2-3 minutes
Maximal
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Training players aged ≈ 12 -16 years 9
STRENGTH/POWER TRANING
Benefits (when planned in a controlled and safe manner)
• Significantly increase muscular strength, increase local muscular endurance, improve posture, prevent injury and
enhance sports performance (Kraemer, W.J. & Fleck, S.J., 1993).
Guidelines
• Onset of Peak Height Velocity (PHV) = extent and frequency of weight training.
• Critical periods for accelerated adaptation:
• Females - toward end and immediately after PHV
• Males - 12 – 18 months after PHV
• Players should master the basic lifting techniques during the PHV phase. Peak Weight Velocity (PWV) or body
mass gain will occur after PHV.
Exercise focus:
• Free weight (with onset of PHV) and bodyweight exercise
• Further enhance level of muscle coordination.
• Specific conditioning exercises to minimise any potential muscular imbalance and injury risk
• General prehabiliatation exercises (including joint proprioceptive work, “core” stability, …)
Frequency:
Two or three times sessions/week ≈ 30 minutes need to be performed.
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Training players aged ≈ 12 -16 years 10
Rapid growth of
athletes during
adolescence
CONTINUING TO IMPROVE COORDINATION
CHANGES in or
temporarily
REGRESSION of
Centre of gravity,
trunk and limb length/girth,
movement skills and,
technical skills
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Patience required from
coach; movement/technical
skills may need to be
revisited

Training players aged ≈ 12 -16 years 11
FLEXIBILITY
• Needs to be monitored carefully.
• Static stretching to form foundation of developmental flexibility
training programme.
• Scheduling of separate stretching sessions is recommended.
• Dynamic mobility and prehabilitation routines should replace static
stretching in warm-ups.
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Training players aged ≈ 12 -16 years 12
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Training to Competition Ratio
• Generally 60:40 (including competition specific training) is recommended (Balyi and Hamilton,
1999a; Bompa, 1995).
Recovery
• Specific recovery sessions are necesary (i.e. cool down, hydration and nutrition,
massage, hydrotherapy, passive rest, …)
Long-term development
• Forms the critical or sensitive period of physical and skill development.
• Overemphasis on competition instead of on training can limit potential, irrespective of
subsequent remedial action (SportMap, 2001).
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16 AND BEYOND
13
STAGE
Training to
Compete
M – 16-18 yrs
F – 15-17 yrs
Training to
Win
M –18+ yrs
F – 17+ yrs
Retirement
CHARACTERISTICS OF YEAR-ROUND, TENNIS- AND
INDIVIDUAL-SPECIFIC PHYSICAL TRAINING
Reliable and valid fitness testing essential
More specific to game style, which will be more clearly defined
Periodisation will reflect short- and long-term objectives
Block loading – training emphasis on one quality/capacity while
others maintained – useful.
Periodisation difficult; block loading may be used; programmes
may be surface-specific
Emphasis on maintenance (strength ≈ 1 session/7-10 days;
endurance ≈ 2 sessions/7 days; …) and recovery during
tournaments
Transition into other career post-sport
TRAINING
TO COMP.
RATIO
40:60
25:75
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