Recently I’ve had the following quote stuck in my head:
“The magic you’re looking for is in the work you’re avoiding.”
Each time I keep coming back to this quote, it prompts a new insight into the things I know I SHOULD be doing but am pretending not to know or procrastinating on.
As a parent, watching your child thrive in their sport is one of the most rewarding experiences. You’ve likely invested in extra sports coaching, camps, and countless hours at training (as well as the family taxi to and from!) , focusing on improving their technical skills—whether it’s striking the ball, making a perfect pass, or nailing the game-winning shot.
I’ve worked with youth athletes for over a decade, and one thing remains clear: technical skill alone isn’t enough. The real magic lies in something many young athletes (and their parents) often are avoiding – building athleticism.
The Missing Ingredient: Athleticism
Here’s the truth that many parents and coaches miss: no matter how skilled your child is at the technical aspects of their sport, their performance will be capped if they don’t have a solid athletic foundation. Whether it’s football, rugby, hockey, or basketball, team sports demand more than just ball control, passing accuracy, or game IQ. They require explosive power, strength, agility, and speed.
Your child can have the sharpest footwork or the best shot, but if they’re getting outpaced by faster opponents or losing physical battles on the pitch, they’re at a disadvantage. Athleticism isn’t the ‘extra’—it’s the core that underpins everything else. It allows athletes to be faster to the ball, more explosive off the mark, and physically dominant in key moments. In team sports, where split seconds and small margins make the difference, athleticism is often what separates the good from the great. In the words of legendary coach Kelvin Giles:
“You need the physical to do the technical, to do the tactical. In that order.”
Why Avoiding Physical Development Holds Them Back
I get it. It’s easy to focus on the visible, immediate outcomes—technique, tactics, scoring that goal or making that tackle. But many parents and athletes avoid athletic development because it’s less obvious, lying under the surface of performance. Lifting weights, doing sprint work, or working on mobility isn’t glamorous. It’s not as exciting as technical training or a weekend tournament. But here’s the hard truth: this is the work that sets athletes apart.
We avoid it because it’s we think more skill work is the answer. That’s why it’s often the last thing added into a schedule, and the first thing removed if things get busy. But this is a trap!
First of all, if your child is a 8 or 9/10 from a skill perspective, but a 2 or 3/10 from a physical perspective – then where is the most improvement to be made? In the physical of course!
Secondly, despite seemingly having boundless energy – kids aren’t sport robots. They are made of bone, muscle, tendon an ligaments! If we exceed the ability of these components of the musculoskeletal system then they will break down! Either immediately in an acute injury, or with chronic overuse like a tendinopathy. The only way to reduce the injury risk of this is by raising the capacity of these physical components with dedicated athletic development training.
Avoiding this essential work limits your child’s potential. And when it comes to building a successful athlete—one that lasts through teenage years and into adult sport—athleticism is the key that opens the door to sustained performance.
How Athleticism Transforms Performance
When your child puts in the time to develop their athletic foundation, you’ll notice the difference—both on the field and off it. Here’s what happens when we prioritize physical development:
- Strength Wins Battles: In team sports, physical confrontations are unavoidable. Whether it’s a shoulder-to-shoulder in football or a scramble under the basket in basketball, strength is critical. Athletes who are stronger hold their ground, recover faster, and are more injury-resistant.They’re not just playing the game—they’re controlling it.
- Speed is King: Speed kills in every team sport. The fastest players have a constant advantage—they close down space, create opportunities, and turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye. Developing speed and acceleration is non-negotiable if your child wants to be a game-changer. After all, match defining moments like a scoring opportunity or last ditch match saving tackle usually happen at HIGH SPEED, not at walking pace..
- Agility Creates Separation: Team sports are about creating and exploiting space. Players who are agile, who can change direction and accelerate explosively, are harder to mark, harder to tackle, and create more opportunities. It’s not just about running fast in a straight line—it’s about moving efficiently in every direction.
- Endurance for the Long Haul: It’s not just about how your child plays in the first half—it’s about how they finish. Athleticism provides the engine for consistent performance, keeping them sharp and explosive when others are fading. When everyone else is slowing down, your child can still make the game-winning play.
The Long-Term Investment
When parents understand that physical development is a long-term investment, everything changes. You’re no longer looking for quick wins in a game next weekend—you’re building a foundation that will help your child excel as they grow. You’re developing resilience, strength, and durability that will support them across multiple sports and into adulthood. It’s about keeping them injury-free, keeping them competitive, and giving them the best possible chance of success.
At The Athlete Academy, we focus on building complete athletes. We believe that true performance comes not just from technical mastery but from physical dominance. We know that for your child to succeed in team sports, they need more than just skills—they need the athletic foundation that allows those skills to shine.
Time to Embrace what you’ve been avoiding.
Parents, this is where you come in. You need to value all components of performance. It’s all important: skill development, tactical understanding, recovery, nutrition and yes – athleticism. They all matter. Your child is only as strong as their weakest link. Encourage them to understand that investing in their body is just as important as refining their technique. When they commit to building their athleticism, they’re not just preparing for the next game—they’re preparing for a lifetime of performance.
It’s where the magic happens. So, are you ready to help your child unlock their full potential? Let’s get to work.
Rob Anderson
Founder of The Athlete Academy
UKSCA Youth S&C Coach of the Year
