Developing Speed for Team Sport Athletes
Speed is well recognized as a difference maker on the field. Regardless of sport, speed wins games. Despite this, proper time and focus is rarely spent on true speed development in the team setting. In this lecture, Mike will cover best practices for speed development for team sport athletes. Mike will discuss:
-The biggest mistakes coaches with team sports make when developing speed
-The adjustments on volume, frequency and density that coaches with team sports need to make when developing speed
-The role of sprinting mechanics for athletes in team sports
-When and how to incorporate speed training in to the session and weekly plan of team sport athletes
Dr. Mike Young is the owner of Athletic Lab Sports Performance Training Center and the Performance Director for North Carolina FC and North Carolina Courage soccer clubs. Young has a PhD in biomechanics, an MS in Coaching Science and a BSS in Exercise Physiology. Over his 20 year coaching career, Mike has served as the sport coach for some of the fastest and most powerful athletes in sport including 7 US Track & Field National Champions and 1 Track & Field World Champion. Young has also served as the sport coach for international competitors in bobsleigh, skeleton and weightlifting. He has coached track and field at North Carolina State University, West Point Military Academy, Ohio University and Louisiana State University. While coaching track at LSU, the teams won 6 team National Championships in 4 years. In team sports, Mike has consulted for some of the best rugby and soccer teams in the world including Real Madrid, Liverpool FC, Fulham FC, Seoul E-Land FC and 4 World Cup Rugby teams. He is currently the Performance Director for the North Carolina Courage (NWSL), the winningest women's soccer club in American History and the North Carolina FC (USL). He was previously the fitness coach for the Carolina Railhawks (NASL) and the Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS). Mike is a prolific contributor to the field of sport performance and coaching science having authored 2 books and 3 book chapters and is a regular contributor to scientific journal and mainstream media alike. He has spoken in 12 countries and over 30 states and has written coaching education curriculums for USA Track & Field (USATF) and the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) and has taught for USATF, USTFCCCA, USA Weightlifting, US Speed Skating, USA Triathlon, and the NSCA.
