Be an Elite Coach, Build Elite Athletes

Things to develop your coaching and have a greater impact on your athletes. You define what your “elite” is!

By Isaac Leung, Athletic Skills

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Hey reader,

One topic that I often get asked about is supporting youth athletes in developing their fitness.

Well a few weeks ago I recorded a podcast with Rob Anderson who is an expert in Youth Athletic Development and it got lots of great feedback! So here are the key points and some great actionable points you can take in to your coaching.

To watch the episode, see below.

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Coaching the Next Generation: Lessons from Rob Anderson

How often do we, as coaches, focus on short-term wins at the expense of long-term development? Rob Anderson, founder of the Athlete Academy, believes it’s time to rethink how we approach youth athletic development—and his insights challenge us to do better.

Youth coaching is too often undervalued, receiving less attention and fewer resources compared to elite levels. Yet, it’s during these formative years that athletes develop the essential skills and habits that shape their future. Rob’s journey, from coaching in schools and academies to building a programme that prioritises athlete well-being, offers a roadmap for any coach looking to make a meaningful difference.

Here’s a breakdown of Rob’s key insights and practical steps to elevate your coaching.

The Misplaced Hierarchy in Youth Coaching

Rob draws a striking parallel between education and sports: “If you wouldn’t put your least experienced teacher with the youngest students, why do we do that in sports?”

In schools, teaching expertise is aligned with the needs of each stage of development. Yet in sports, younger athletes are often coached by less experienced individuals, while the best coaches gravitate toward elite or professional players. This mindset undervalues the foundational years, where athletes need expert guidance the most.

💡 Coaching Takeaway: Treat coaching younger athletes as a specialised skill. Invest time in understanding their unique developmental needs and focus on setting them up for success at the next stage.

Leave Athletes Better for the Next Coach

One of Rob’s core principles is to “make the next coach’s job easier.”

It’s easy to chase short-term wins—whether that’s faster sprint times or better strength metrics—but the real goal is preparing athletes for what’s next. If an athlete moves to the next level without mastering fundamental movements or proper technique, their progress will eventually stall.

💡 Coaching Takeaway: Focus on building a broad foundation of skills and movement patterns. Think of your role as creating a “toolkit” that the next coach can use to help the athlete thrive.

The Power of Fundamental Movements

Rob highlights the essential movement patterns every athlete should master:

• Squat

• Hinge

• Push

• Pull

• Jump

• Land

• Brace

• Rotate

• Lunge (including lateral lunge)

These movements are the building blocks of athletic performance. Whether it’s jumping for a header, accelerating off the mark, or staying balanced during a tackle, these skills provide the foundation for sport-specific abilities.

💡 Practical Application: Use warm-ups and skill-building drills to prioritise movement patterns. For example:

• Hinge: Teach athletes how to hip hinge effectively, which supports sprint starts and deadlifts.

• Land: Incorporate plyometric drills that emphasise soft, controlled landings to reduce injury risk.

Growth, Maturation, and Tailored Coaching

Rob stresses the importance of understanding growth and maturation when working with youth athletes. Within a single age group, there can be up to a six-year biological age difference, meaning early maturers often dominate physically while late developers may be overlooked.

To navigate this, Rob recommends tools like Jamie Salter’s free maturation calculator, which helps coaches understand where athletes are in their growth phase and tailor their approach accordingly.

💡 Coaching Takeaway:

• Early developers may need technical challenges to balance their physical advantage.

• Late developers benefit from modified drills that match their current capabilities while building confidence.

From Fun to Fundamental: Coaching Younger Athletes

For younger age groups, the focus should be on making sessions engaging and age-appropriate. Rob’s use of imaginative tools, like animal movements or the “Superheroes” programme, teaches fundamental skills in a fun and accessible way.

💡 Practical Tips:

• Incorporate play-based learning: Use games like bear crawls for core strength or kangaroo hops for explosive power.

• Frame drills around themes kids love: Turn agility drills into “superhero training” to make them more exciting.

Balancing Feedback and Autonomy

Another key insight from Rob is the importance of allowing athletes to explore and learn through experience. While it’s tempting to correct every error, over-coaching can hinder autonomy and problem-solving skills.

💡 Practical Tips:

• Demonstrate movements clearly, then step back and let athletes practice.

• Use questioning instead of direct corrections: “How did that feel? What could you adjust next time?”

Building Better Sessions: Rob’s Three-Part Framework

Rob shared his go-to session structure at the Athlete Academy, which balances preparation, skill development, and progression:

1️⃣ Warm-Up: Skipping variations, mobility drills, and low-intensity plyometrics to activate key muscle groups.
2️⃣ Speed and Power Training: Focus on themes like acceleration, deceleration, or lateral movement, progressing from predictable drills to reactive scenarios.
3️⃣ Strength Development: Emphasise foundational movements like squats, pushes, and pulls to build strength and stability.

💡 Coaching Takeaway: A structured session with variety and progression keeps athletes engaged and ensures balanced development.

Lifelong Movers: Beyond the Game

For Rob, the ultimate goal isn’t just producing elite athletes but fostering a lifelong love of movement, health, and fitness. By focusing on autonomy, education, and enjoyment, coaches can help athletes build habits that extend beyond their playing careers.

💡 Coaching Takeaway: Think beyond this season. Equip athletes with skills and confidence they can carry into adulthood, whether they’re competing at an elite level or staying active for life.

Final Thoughts

Rob Anderson’s philosophy challenges coaches to rethink their priorities. By focusing on fundamentals, adapting to individual needs, and creating sessions that balance structure with fun, we can redefine what it means to develop youth athletes.

2025 is the perfect time to elevate your coaching. Are you ready to be part of the change?

Want to Learn More?

Visit The Athlete Academy for tools like the free bodyweight strength test and parent education courses. Follow Rob on Instagram (@theathleteacademy) for regular insights and practical coaching tips.

If you want more advice on this and want to learn more about youth development, hit reply and let me know!

Isaac 🙂 

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