If you work with high-school athletes, this will interest you. A strength coach in Ohio, Mike Anderson, suggested a roundtable with several coaches to discuss the realities of training this population. Here are the key points they wish athletes and their parents would understand about training.
Two things they should know
Jarrod Dyke – Owner/Coach, First XV Performance, Brookline, MA
1) When you walk into a weight room, you’re there to get better at your sport, not to chase world records in powerlifting or weightlifting—unless that’s your sport. Leave your ego at the door. If your squat doesn’t jump 100 pounds in three weeks, that’s not the end of the world. Put in the work and the weight will rise. You’ll be stronger on the field, court, ice, track, or pitch. Small changes in temperature or ice won’t derail progress; be patient.
2) In-season training is essential if you want to last through the season. It’s possible to maintain or even gain strength during the season with the right approach. Skipping training is usually worse than continuing with it, because practices and games alone won’t preserve the gains from off-season work. When the off-season returns, you’ll be ahead of where you started.
Hilary Lederer – Strength Coach, Force of Nature Strength & Conditioning, Toronto, Canada
1) Strength training doesn’t have to be exhausting. A lot of productive work can be done while you still feel fairly fresh.
2) A solid coach and program are valuable for every athlete. You can be talented and succeed, but those cases are less common and don’t last as long. A good program helps with injury prevention, addressing weak points, building confidence, and instilling lifelong healthy habits.
Mitch Gill – Head Athletic Trainer at Dacula High School; Private S&C in Dacula, Georgia
1) “Sports-specific” training is basically just practice; the weight room focuses on building general qualities like strength and speed to improve overall performance. The goal is to become a better, more resilient athlete who can apply those skills on the field.
2) Athletic development is a long-term process—let’s call it “slow cooking the athlete.” We live in a microwaved world that people expect to see quick results. Don’t expect 80 pounds added to your squat in a month or a 0.4-second drop in the 40-yard dash. The long-term approach matters more. It’s not worth it to peak early or to push through injuries just for short-term gains.
Brandon Strausser – Performance Coach, Spire Performance, Geneva, Ohio
1) The idea of “sport-specific training” is a myth. Our job as strength and conditioning coaches is to make athletes better overall—increasing strength, speed, power, and reducing injury risk. The program will look similar across sports in terms of movements and speed work; how an athlete applies it to their sport is up to the sport coaches who know the sport best.
2) Be patient with training. Good results take time. Consistency and effort are key. Some people adapt faster than others, but everyone benefits from staying with a plan. Be organized with a regular schedule. If you’ve had only a few workouts in two weeks, improvements won’t show. Jumping between coaches can hinder progress because each coach may use a different approach. The takeaway: patient, steady training yields lasting gains.
Greg Robins – Co-Owner/Coach, The Strength House, Worcester, MA
1) Know what you want to gain from training. A coach can guide you, but you must have a clear goal. Parents should understand this too; the aspiration has to come from the athlete themselves.
2) Understand why achieving that goal matters. Ask “why” repeatedly to uncover the real motivation. Why do you want to get stronger? To play varsity? Why is varsity important? If the reason isn’t deeply true, motivation can waver. When the “why” is strong, and support from parents aligns with it, progress follows.
Mike Anderson – Owner/Coach, Anderson Strength & Fitness, Cleveland, Ohio
1) Preparing for a season takes more than two weeks. I’ve had kids rush to “get jacked” only to realize they’re short on time. True athletic development needs to be a year-round commitment.
2) You get back what you put in. If you show up after long Fortnite sessions, sleep-deprived and unfueled, you’ll have a weak training session. Nutrition matters—often, sophomores aren’t in control of their meals, so parents should provide smart fuel. The right choices support real progress.
If you found this helpful, please share it so other athletes and parents can benefit. If any of these coaches are in your area, consider reaching out to them on social media to get your young athlete into the gym.
