Watered down adult programs are not suitable for youth athletes. I'd label them as a detriment to long-term success and sustainability of the athlete because youth athletes have very different physiological needs as compared to adults.
 
The biggest thing to keep in my and ask yourself when trying to model good programs is, was this program created specifically for youth athletes? Are the coaches specialized in training youth? Do they understand the specific needs of a youth athlete? Or did they start a youth program on a whim because it "seemed cool"?
 
When we started our youth weightlifting and sports performance program, there was no fancy equipment, youth bars, plastic plates, etc. We took reinforced PVC and duct-taped change plates to the bars for our youngest kids. Once youth-specific equipment came out and became popular, it was like a goldmine of available training tools.
 
But that builds another problem.
 
There is a tool for almost everything and anything you could imagine, and many of them are in no way useful.
 
My main point in this is you have to analyze everything you're doing and see if there is a purpose behind it, or is it a fad you found? Don't worry, even the best of us have fallen for a magical trend.
 
Organized chaos
 
In our facility, we've had kids ages five to 18 in our programs and have modified and adjusted the way we work with kids about 7000 different times based on feedback from our staff, kids and the parents. Everyone needs to be on the same page and aware of the purpose of the training environment to make this successful.
 
Age Groups
 
Six to Eight
 
In this age group, the real purpose is to get kids moving and understanding the basics of movement efficiency in about a 30-minute session. There is no actual weight applied or anything too serious as we need the kids to develop a love for the gym at this point.
 
The focus for this age group is:

• Jumping
• Sprinting
• Reps on reps on reps of snatch and Clean and Jerk with a PVC pipe and broken down into micro-segments of the lift each session.
• Games to make it fun and enjoyable.

 
Eight to 12
 
In this age group, kids are beginning to form ideas of what sport is, the purpose behind the gym and might even be involved in a sport. The purpose of this group is similar, but we train for more extended periods. Usually, 45-60 minutes as they are often able to maintain somewhat focused attention (don't turn your back or your entire facility could burn to the ground in an instant).
 
The goal in this age group is to introduce more athlete and hip strength conditioning to their programs, including:

• Dynamic warmups involving sprinting, jumping, running, pushup, etc.
• Olympic lifting
  • We do allow for weight in this age group starting with a 5kg youth training bar. When they show they can do a perfect rep at a specified weight three times in a row, they are allowed to move on to a new load.
• Accessory movements
  • Pressing, balances, box jumps, broad jumps, etc.
• Micro workouts
  • These micro workouts take about six to eight minutes to complete, have two movements to be performed continuously until the timer expires and are always focused on opening and closing of the hips or creating explosive strength to target weak points in the child.

 
12+
 
In this age group, the child is likely playing sports, has developed some inconsistencies that need to be addressed, and the parents are looking to take it to the next level.
 
We start this age group off with a goals analysis from both the child's perspective and the parents perspective. If both are not aligned, you will have a problem down the line. The sessions with this age group typically last between 60-90 minutes and are focused on building strong explosive hips and a dynamic body capable of the movements required for their sport.
 
This movement emphasis doesn't mean we stand on top of a Bosu ball and pretend we are performing their sport. It is not my position to mimic sports activity; it is my position to create the strength to perform and reduce injury. Keep it simple and try not to get too Hollywood fancy with your training.
 
The focus for these kids is in a four-phase model of training:
 

• The warmup
  • Always dynamic, working up a sweat with proper movement patterns and performing movements such as
    • Jumping, sprinting, bodyweight movements, partner exercises, running, etc.
• The Injury assessment
  • What hurts? What doesn't feel, right? Where's your head at? How do you feel today?
  • At this point, each child has a specific protocol to follow to work on inconsistencies associated with a sports injury, or anything that has developed and is now an abnormal or improper movement pattern. This injury focus does not mean we teach the kids to sit on a foam roller for 20 minutes. They are performing movement patterns and corrective exercises designed to help them overcome the obstacles holding them back.
• The Weightlifting Segment
  •  Snatch and Clean and Jerk focused and broken down into phases
    • Phase 1: Higher rep, lower weight prep
    • Phase 2: Moderate rep and moderate weight
    • phase 3: Low rep and high weight
• The Build Segment
  • Squats, presses, balances, pulls, etc.
• The Accessory Segment
  • Micro workouts ranging from 10-12 minutes and focused on build explosive hip strength and improving upon weak points seen in the lifting sessions. These are typically done together to encourage camaraderie and excitement towards what would otherwise be "not so fun" segment.

 
Each child is required to keep a log of what they did for that day, how they felt, and how sore they were from it. Every quarter at the very least, we analyze and adjust based on performance and feedback from the kids, their journals, and their parents.
 
Keep it Simple
 
The biggest thing I can emphasize here is the fact that there is no reason to introduce anything crazy, mimic the sport, or try and win an award with these kids. Train them for precisely what they need at the macro level from a strength and conditioning standpoint, pay attention to their mindset and mental game, focus on perfect movement patterns and be an encouraging and nurturing coach to them.
 
This performance focus is why we focus on three phases of programming, each taking about four weeks to complete, and five main phases in each structured training day. This structure gives a purpose to your training environment, a way to measure success and allows you to monitor progress for years and years to come.
 
There are three main influences in a child's life:

• Their parents
• Their teaches
• Their coaches

 
Don't be the coach who is always on them, screaming at them and making the experience miserable. Be a mentor they can look to for support, be the mentor that they want to be around and be the mentor that inspires these kids to come back year after year continuously.
 
You can create an incredibly profound impact on the lives of the kids you coach, and they will remember you forever, or you can create a miserable experience and create problems in their ability to trust someone forever.
 
You have the key to a compelling ecosystem.
 
Think long and hard before you act and before you make any decisions regarding the health, both mental and external of these kids.
 
I still get goosebumps when I think about all the kids who have come through our programs and where they are now. Just seeing their success and getting short messages from them checking in is a feeling that is second to none and helps you realize the long-term impact you’ve created in the future of this world.