You've just paid £200 for a month of "elite" training for your 12-year-old. Sure your child is exhausted, sweaty and was entertained for an hour - but are they actually getting any better? How do you know?
Sound familiar?
Unfortunately as the youth sport coaching industry has grown and more parents are seeking out individuals to work with their kids, more "coaches" have emerged who are seeking to make a quick buck, rather than make a meaningful impact.
Working with hundreds of young athletes over the last 15+ years, I've seen too many talented kids damaged by coaching frauds who care more about your money than your child's development.
Today, I'm going to show you exactly how to PROTECT YOUR CHILD from these fake experts.
You’ve just paid £200 for a month of “elite” training for your 12-year-old. Sure your child is exhausted, sweaty and was entertained for an hour – but are they actually getting any better? How do you know?
Sound familiar?
Unfortunately as the youth sport coaching industry has grown and more parents are seeking out individuals to work with their kids, more “coaches” have emerged who are seeking to make a quick buck, rather than make a meaningful impact.
Working with hundreds of young athletes over the last 15+ years, I’ve seen too many talented kids damaged by coaching frauds who care more about your money than your child’s development.
Today, I’m going to show you exactly how to PROTECT YOUR CHILD from a youth coaching fraud.
The Harsh Truth About Youth Sports Coaching
Here’s what most parents don’t realise: ANYONE CAN CALL THEMSELVES A YOUTH SPORTS COACH. And unfortunately many people out there coaching kids have done just that.
There’s no license required. No mandatory training. No quality control. This means your local park is full of people who think watching YouTube videos makes them qualified to train your child.
The result? Kids getting injured, losing confidence, and quitting sports they once loved.
But here’s the good news: REAL COACHES have clear patterns you can spot. So do the frauds.
Red Flag #1: They Jump Straight to “Sport-Specific” Training
THE YOUTH COACHING FRAUD SAYS:“We’ll make your child a better player with advanced skills and tactical drills.”
THE REALITY: Your 10-year-old can’t even pass in a straight line properly yet.
Real coaches understand that FUNDAMENTALS COME FIRST. Before any child progresses to more advanced skills in any domain they need to master the basics first.
We understand this in school, where your child got taught the alphabet, then words, then sentences, and finally paragraphs. There’s a good reason they didn’t jump to reading “War and Peace” on day one, it would be a complete waste of time.
In the physical domain our fundamentals are good quality movement patterns, coordination, strength, and flexibility.
A GENUINE COACH will spend months or even years, building these foundations before adding advanced elements. Charlatans skip this because it’s “boring” , doesn’t look good on social media and parents can’t see immediate results.
WHAT TO ASK:
“What will you focus on in the first 8 weeks?”
“Can you show me examples of long-term athlete development?”
“What’s your philosophy on youth sports?”
WARNING SIGN: If a coach promises fancy sport-specific drills in the first few sessions – run.
Red Flag #2: They Never Measure Anything
THE YOUTH COACHING FRAUD SAYS: “Your child is definitely getting faster, more skillful, more powerful etc. Can’t you see how much better they look?”
THE REALITY: Without measurement, there’s no objective improvement – just an opinion.
Professional coaches monitor impact: jump heights, sprint times, strength improvements etc.
Charlatans rely on SUBJECTIVE FEELINGS because they have no idea if their training actually works. They’ll tell you your child “looks more skillful” or “is way more athletic” – but they can’t actually prove it.
GENUINE COACHES show you data and can prove their methods work repeatedly.
WHAT TO ASK:
“How do you measure my child’s progress?”
“Will we get regular opportunities to review data to see if my child is making progress?”
WARNING SIGN: If a coach can’t show you objective improvements with data over the long term they’re guessing.
Red Flag #3: They Confuse Exhaustion with Progress
THE YOUTH COACHING FRAUD SAYS:“Look how hard your child is working! They’re dripping with sweat!”
THE REALITY: Being tired doesn’t mean getting better.
I’ve seen coaches run kids into the ground with pointless exercises that look impressive but achieve nothing. PRODUCTIVE TRAINING has a specific purpose for every drill, every rep, every minute.
REAL COACHES understand that quality beats quantity every time, recovery is when adaptation happens, and smart training produces results, not just fatigue.
Charlatans use exhaustion to fool parents and athletes into thinking they’re getting value for money. In the words of legendary physical preparation coach Yuri Verkoshansky “Any idiot can make another idiot tired.”
WHAT TO ASK:
“How many sessions is the right amount for my child
“How should we fit this in with other other activities /sessions to balance training & recovery?”
WARNING SIGN: If the coach just thinks more is always better and your child is always exhausted but never improving, the training is probably junk.
Red Flag #4: They Have No Qualifications or LONG TERM Experience
THE YOUTH COACHING FRAUD SAYS: “I played at a high level, so I know how to coach.”
THE REALITY: Playing and coaching are completely different skills. If that weren’t the case then every successful player would make a successful coach right? Yet we know that isn’t the case!! (Just ask Wayne Rooney). Being a good player requires what we call “Performance Knowledge” which means knowing how to “do the thing”. In contrast, good coaching requires “Declarative Knowledge” which means being able to communicate the details of what, why and how to do things.
REAL COACHES invest in their education: formal qualifications, and ongoing learning through workshops, courses, conferences etc.
Being good at a sport doesn’t make you good at teaching it.
WHAT TO ASK:
“Do you have the required Police Background Checks?”
“Do you have an up to date first aid training?”
“Do you have the required Insurance?”
“What coaching qualifications do you have?”
“What experience do you have coaching kids specifically?”
WARNING SIGN: If they can’t show you relevant qualifications and experience, walk away. Worse, if they say “But I can get them anytime I like” – that’s an immediate sign to run a mile!
Red Flag #5: They Use Fear & Pressure Tactics
THE YOUTH COACHING FRAUD SAYS:“If your child doesn’t start serious training now with me, they’ll never make it.”
THE REALITY: This is manipulation, not coaching.
Professional coaches understand that EVERY CHILD DEVELOPS DIFFERENTLY. They create positive environments where kids enjoy their training, build confidence, learn at their own pace, and develop a love for movement.
Charlatans use fear because they have nothing else to offer.
WHAT TO ASK:
“How do you individualise challenge for different abilities/stage of development?“
“Have you worked with any late developers who’ve been successful?”
“How might my child’s journey differ from another’s?”
WARNING SIGN: Any coach who makes you or your child feel anxious or pressured is bad news.
What REAL Youth Coaches Look Like
GENUINE COACHES:
Start with FUNDAMEMTALS before advanced skills
MEASURE PROGRESS objectively and share feedback and results with parents
Focus on QUALITY TRAINING over exhausting workouts
Set REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS and timelines
Have PROPER QUALIFICATIONS and ongoing education
Create POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTS where kids thrive
Understand CHILD DEVELOPMENT, the maturation process and growth related injuries
Your Child Deserves Better
Your child’s athletic journey should be POSITIVE, PROGRESSIVE, and PURPOSEFUL. They deserve coaches who understand their development, measure their progress, and care about their long-term success.
Don’t let charlatans steal your child’s potential or your money. DEMAND BETTER.
At The Athlete Academy, we believe every young athlete deserves expert coaching based on science, not guesswork. Our approach focuses on building strong foundations, measuring real progress, and developing confident, capable athletes who love what they do.
Ready to give your child the coaching they deserve?
