How to Provide Superior Athletic Training

Teach your athletes how to safely train. This is the most important thing you can teach your team, because if they get injured, they won't be able to play. Tell them to warm up before they engage in any form of exercise by stretching for at least 15 minutes. Lead them in stretching exercises at the beginning of each practice to demonstrate that you are serious. Teach them how to properly use any fitness equipment the first time they encounter it and monitor them for correct use. Give a lesson on basic first aid and stress the importance of staying hydrated during practices and games. Note that giving one lesson on proper training may be sufficient, but repeated reminders elevate your instruction. Your first introduction to an athlete shouldn't be when he is injured, but rather when you teach him how to prevent injury.

Require your athletes to run at least half a mile during each practice, regardless of what sport they play. Running is an excellent way to build stamina and lower-body muscle strength. It's also a good way to become mentally tough, especially for athletes who don't enjoy running. They will learn to push themselves and their bodies, and find that they are OK afterward. To provide excellent running training, ask your team to run on various types of ground to become versatile and prepared for any condition. Have them run on a track, in a field, on a sidewalk, up and down stairs and in parks. Run in dry and wet conditions to prepare them to play in the rain. Knowing how to handle various conditions before a game will help them prevent injuries.

Practice agility to build fine motor skills. Stretching exercises will help athletes stay limber and running obstacle courses, such as those that require athletes to quickly place their feet in a series of tires, helps athletes learn to move quickly. These skills help prevent injuries. Setting up such obstacle courses is an easy way to offer this type of training, but an even better way is to enroll your athletes in ballet, yoga or gymnastics courses to sharpen their balance, coordination and body awareness.

Take your team to a gym three to four times a week, if you can. Introduce them to various types of equipment and have them work out with each one. Young athletes will especially enjoy lifting weights to build muscle mass and strength. If your team doesn't have an athletic trainer, pair athletes with personal trainers at the gym for additional assistance in building a personalized fitness routine.

Know when to stop. This is an important skill for coaches, who sometimes get so caught up in pushing their athletes that they push for too hard and too long. Prolonged, excessive training can cause stress injuries and heat-related illness and can dampen young athletes' enthusiasm. Recognize the signs of true fatigue in your team and encourage them to take breaks and rehydrate as needed. Stay up to date on any problems in your athletes' personal lives that may be affecting their performances and discuss it with them regularly. Offering basic athletic training is an easy to do your job, but training using a holistic approach is far superior.

Respond to and treat injuries immediately. Trainers and coaches should know how to handle basic injuries, such as using ice to relieve swelling and wrapping potentially sprained or broken limbs to immobilize them before taking the athlete to a hospital for further evaluation. Trainers should also provide sports physicals to ensure that athletes are in satisfactory physical conditions. Superior trainers and coaches will work with a team physician to prevent, analyze and treat sports injuries as well as constantly take courses in first aid and sports-injury prevention.