Long term Athlete Development (LTAD)

Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) focuses on maximising player development to encourage life long commitment to sport and exercise. In Wales key issues are:

• Appropriate competition for children
• Encouragement of children to take on as many sports as possible at a young age which will prepare them more effectively to specialise later

The approach of LTAD recognises the importance of having high quality coaches working with children and young people during the early stages of their involvement. Whilst acknowledging that LTAD is to produce greater number of performers at the very highest level it also encompasses support for participants who wish to participate in sport recreationally. LTAD is a philosophy based on the following principles:

• FUNdamentals - Need for children to learn a wide range of movement skills in a fun environment, taking a multi skills approach
• Learning to Train - Introducing basic skills to preferred activities through regular practice in fun based environments
• Training to Train - Individualised programmes based on individual development
• Training to Compete - Focus on diagnosing strengths and weaknesses for selected event/positions and devise a programme accordingly
• Training to Win - Focus of training on optimising performance or peaking at selected competitive events
• Retaining - Performers take up alternative activities after withdrawing from competitive sport

(taken from 'Coaching for Long Term Athlete Development' by Ian Stafford and Istvan Balyi)

LTAD is becoming an important concept for sport in the UK. Many sports are currently looking at the LTAD model and are beginning to integrate it into their sporting pathway. It is a challenging process for sports, and all are at different stages in doing this. To find out more on LTAD take a look at the following:

1)The sports coach UK website have a section dedicated to LTAD, providing you with background information and a regular update of how its developing in the UK

2) Get hold of a copy of the leaflet entitled Preparing for Life in Sport - A guide to Long Term Athlete Development. This is available from Coachwise at a cost of £2.50

3) Get hold of a copy of the book Coaching for Long-Term Athlete Development: To improve participation and performance in Sport. This is available from Coachwise at a cost of £9.99

4) Go on an LTAD workshop. Three workshops have been designed by sports coach UK

• An introduction to LTAD - a workshop for coaches to assist the understanding of key concepts of LTAD and what it means to coaches and coaching practice
• The FUNdamentals of Movement - a practical workshop for coaches addressing the first level of the LTAD model. This explores Agility, Balance and Co-ordination
• Managing Coaching within LTAD - is aimed at those people that manage coaches to increase their understanding, knowledge and application of the model.

5) Contact the national governing body for your sport to find out what they are doing