How to Fix the Biggest Mistake in Youth Sports Training: Why More Practice Isn’t Making Your Child a Better Athlete

Mighty Oak Athletic Podcast S2:E37 - How to Fix the Biggest Mistake in Youth Sports Training: Why More Practice Isn’t Making Your Child a Better Athlete

The Overworked Young Athlete

Ten-year-old Jack steps onto the pitcher’s mound for another game, his shoulder aching from weeks of non-stop throwing. It’s late October, and his fall baseball league is wrapping up. But there’s no break—winter means weekly sessions at the indoor batting cage, long bullpen sessions on turf, and strength band exercises his coach recommends to keep his arm fresh. Come spring, he’ll jump right into travel ball, then summer tournaments, and before he knows it, another fall season begins. Jack hasn’t played another sport since he was seven. There’s no time.

Across town, Mia, 11, sprints up and down the soccer field, her knee throbbing. Her club team just finished their outdoor season, but indoor winter league starts next weekend. She’ll play futsal twice a week, have skills training on Tuesdays, and squeeze in private coaching on Fridays. Then, when the spring outdoor season begins, her schedule will only get more intense. She hasn’t touched a basketball or picked up a tennis racket in years—soccer is all she knows.

Jack and Mia are not alone. Today’s youth sports culture encourages single-sport specialization at a young age. Parents are told that if their child wants to compete at a high level, they need to commit early. That means baseball kids are playing nearly year-round—spring, summer, and fall leagues, followed by winter hitting and pitching practice. Soccer kids, hockey kids, basketball kids—each are locked into the same cycle, repeating the same motions for years on end.

The result? Jack’s once-effortless throws are losing velocity, and his arm feels weaker with each game. Mia’s knee pain has been lingering for months, and she’s starting to favor one leg when she runs. They’re not improving—they’re breaking down. The injuries creeping in are not random bad luck; they’re the consequence of doing the same repetitive motions, without rest, for years. They don’t need more practice. They need to build strength.

Strength Training: The Missing Piece

Jack’s dad notices his son wincing after a bullpen session. Worried, he takes him to Coach Mike at Mighty Oak Athletic, a strength coach specializing in youth athletes. He listens as Jack’s dad explains the non-stop throwing, the shoulder fatigue, and the declining performance. He’s heard this before. “Jack doesn’t need another week of rest,” Coach Mike says. “He needs strength training.”

Jack’s mom raises an eyebrow. “Strength training? Won’t that make him too bulky? And isn’t lifting weights bad for kids?”

Coach Mike shakes his head. “That’s a common myth. Done right, strength training is not only safe—it’s the best thing Jack can do to protect his arm and play better.”

Jack’s situation is no different from Mia’s. She’s been dealing with nagging knee pain for months. Her parents, worried about the wear and tear of year-round soccer, bring her in for a session with Coach Mike. “Mia’s knee isn’t the problem,” he explains after a movement assessment. “Her hips, glutes, and core are weak, and that’s putting extra stress on her knees.”

Coach Mike tells both families the same thing: youth strength training is not about lifting heavy weights. It’s about building a foundation of strength, balance, and mobility to handle the demands of their sport. The kids don’t need to stop playing, but they do need to train their bodies to handle the stress.

What the Research Says: Strength Training Lowers Injury Risk

Jack’s mom remembers hearing that weightlifting could damage growth plates, but when she looks into the research, she’s relieved. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) states that there is no evidence that strength training negatively impacts a child’s growth potential (ACSM, 2018). The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also agree that youth strength training is not only safe but beneficial when properly supervised (NSCA, 2020, AAP, 2021).

More importantly, studies show that young athletes who incorporate strength training have a lower injury rate than those who don’t.

• A 2016 meta-analysis found that strength training reduced sports-related injuries by up to 66% in youth athletes (Lauersen et al., 2016).

• A 2019 study published in Sports Medicine concluded that strength training improves neuromuscular control, reducing stress on joints and lowering overuse injuries (Faigenbaum et al., 2019).

• The NSCA’s position paper on youth training states that a properly designed program improves muscle strength, motor control, and reduces injury risks in sports like baseball, soccer, hockey, and basketball (NSCA, 2020).

A Simple At-Home Strength Training Program for Young Athletes

Coach Mike recommends a bodyweight program that Jack and Mia can do 2-3 times per week, requiring no special equipment. It focuses on the seven foundational movement patterns all young athletes need:

1. Push: Push-Ups (builds upper body strength)

2. Pull: Towel Rows (strengthens back and arms)

3. Squat: Bodyweight Squats (develops leg power)

4. Hinge: Hip Bridges (improves hip and glute strength)

5. Core: Planks (builds core stability)

6. Carry: Farmer’s Carry with household items (improves grip and overall strength)

7. Crawl: Bear Crawls (enhances coordination and total-body strength)

Each workout takes 20-30 minutes, and kids should focus on quality over quantity—good form is more important than reps.

The New Path for Youth Athletes

As another baseball season rolls around, Jack feels different. His arm is stronger, his body feels balanced, and he’s not dreading long throwing sessions anymore. Mia, back on the soccer field, finds herself outrunning defenders instead of limping through games. Their secret wasn’t more reps in the batting cage or longer practices—it was strength training.

Their parents, once skeptical, now advocate for other families to do the same. Jack’s dad even shares with other baseball parents: “We thought he needed more pitching practice. Turns out, he just needed to get stronger.”

For parents watching their kids grind through another year of non-stop sports, the lesson is clear: repeating the same motions without building strength is a path to burnout and breakdown. Strength training isn’t just helpful—it’s necessary.

Jack and Mia’s story isn’t unique. It’s happening to thousands of kids across the country. The good news? The solution is simple. A few strength sessions a week can change everything. Stronger today, stronger tomorrow—that’s the real secret to longevity in sports.