Promoting academy players to the first professional team before they have completed their growth and maturation process entails an unnecessary risk. The primary limiting factor behind this decision lies in the athlete's biological capacity to handle the physical demands of adult training and competition.
In sports such as soccer, which can be considered a combat sport, meeting minimum physical and physiological requirements is crucial for both performance and safety. Factors like body size, bone structure, hormonal concentration, and the development of physiological components that contribute to conditional capacities (such as strength, endurance, speed, and reaction) all have their own timeline for maturation. It is impossible to accelerate this process beyond what an athlete's genetic code dictates. Attempting to do so jeopardizes the well-being and future opportunities of young athletes.
The eagerness to introduce new "talent" to the professional level often stems from exceptional performance in certain aspects, such as tactical abilities within their age group. However, it is crucial to recognize that they may not have fully developed physically or technically. Neglecting to consider the comprehensive range of performance variables associated with success at the senior level creates unnecessary and avoidable risks for both the player and the club (financial risk of missing out on future opportunities).
To ensure a successful professional career, it is imperative to understand each athlete individually, devise a long-term promotion plan, and establish an appropriate training process. These steps are essential for the athlete's development and need to be carefully designed and evaluated.
If you are interested and have questions about how these processes are structured and assessed, please feel free to contact me privately at spandrelsport@gmail.com
#training #playerdevelopment #soccertraining#youthsports
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