Training
With the development of the female game and subsequent increase in participation, the question of how much girls and adolescents should train is one frequently asked by parents and volunteer coaches. Training volumes and intensities will always need to be individualised, however there are guidelines based on research that can be used as a starting point and that can aid in reducing injury risk.
Key takeaways
- Training volume and intensity always need to be tailored to individuals taking into account a range of factors
- A starting point for the volume of training is the number of hours matching the child's age.
- Rest days and breaks from football and other sports should be built into any training programme.
- Specialisation in one sport is generally not recommended before the teenage years.
- Monitoring training response and well-being can be used to prevent overtraining and burnout.
How much should I train?
Is specialising too soon harmful to long term development?
Research suggests that injury rates in female football players are higher than males and that participation in football alone is unlikely to develop the necessary neuromuscular strength and coordination to reduce injury risk. Overtraining and burnout are factors linked to an increased injury risk and drop out in talented individuals. The most talented players are more prone to burnout and therefore at an increased risk of injury.
The following guidance is suggested based on research evidence but must be individualised to each player (and sport):
- Weekly training hours should approximately match the child's age.
(e.g. 10hrs for a 10 year old child; with a maximum of 16 hrs aged 16 and over)
- Girls and adolescents should have 1 to 2 days rest (or recovery sessions) in any week.
- The number of competitive teams and games they play for should be limited in early childhood and early adolescence.
- They should take 2 to 4 months out from playing each organised sport each year. This break does not necessarily have to occur all in one block.
- If girls do a lot of activities, they should monitor their own well-being, to guard against overtraining and burnout.
When should children specialise in one sport?
The research on specialisation is still in its infancy and contains opposing views. Overall, initial research evidence suggests that specialising in one sport too early may hinder the development of young players both in terms of physical development and their skill acquisition.
Specialisation has also been linked to burnout in young players and therefore it is generally advised that young children undertake a range of activities in order to fully develop their full potential. As children age they may naturally reduce the number of sports that they participate in; however specialisation in childhood or early adolescence is discouraged except in exceptional circumstances.
An alternative view
In the current sporting climate, some view specialisation as inevitable and have provided guidance on how it can be achieved successfully. While specialisation is generally discouraged for most players, if this is the chosen path for a young player it is important that they are aware of the negatives. Players and coaches must be aware of the need to incorporate skills and movement patterns that are not generally catered for in football specific training into their programme. Planning and monitoring of activity may be more important for the talented player in these circumstances.
Page references
Barth, M., Güllich, A., Macnamara, B.N. and Hambrick, D.Z. (2022). Predictors of Junior Versus Senior Elite Performance are Opposite: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Participation Patterns. Sports Medicine, (52), pp.1399–4016. Brenner, J.S. (2016). Sports Specialization and Intensive Training in Young Athletes. PEDIATRICS, [online] 138(3), pp.2016-2148 Iona, T., Raimo, S., Coco, D., Tortella, P., Masala, D., Ammendolia, A., Mannocci, A. and Torre, G.L. (2022). Specialization and Injury Risk in Different Youth Sports: A Bio-Emotional Social Approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(13). Jayanthi, N., Saffel, H. and Gabbett, T. (2021). Training the specialised youth athlete: a supportive classification model to keep them playing. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Moeskops, S., Oliver, J.L., Read, P.J., Cronin, J.B., Myer, G.D. and Lloyd, R.S. (2022). Practical Strategies for Integrating Strength and Conditioning Into Early Specialization Sports. Strength & Conditioning Journal, Vol 44 (1). Till, K., Eisenmann, J., Emmonds, S., Jones, B., Mitchell, T., Cowburn, I., Tee, J., Holmes, N. and Lloyd, R.S. (2021). A Coaching Session Framework to Facilitate Long-Term Athletic Development. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 43 (3). ...