Let’s start this article by posing some new questions. What abilities do you need to train? What type of training do you need to perform to be a better goalkeeper? Does your training need to be goalkeeper-specific? With a solid description of the physical determinants of performance (Part 2) we are in a great position…
Breakfast – it’s deemed the most important meal of the day, yet sometimes the hardest to fit into a busy schedule! Between late weeknight practices and games as well as early morning training and school, this meal may get neglected by young athletes and families. Why is breakfast important? First, everyone can benefit from breakfast,…
The first week of January … a time for reflection and making resolutions for the new year. Although this time can feel like a fresh start, there is also pressure to improve ourselves in drastic ways. At the start of the new year, it is common for people to stop eating out, buy a gym…
In this article we are going to be unpacking the physical demands & determinants of goalkeeping. Before we do so though, let’s remind ourselves that although we are looking specifically at the goalkeeper position, the larger objective of this article series is to educate you on our systems and philosophies training athletes. This an important…
At Novanta, we design and implement training programs to improve the short, and long-term performance of athletes. Our mission is very clear, and we want to be equally clear in describing the processes and systems we use in our work to achieve our goals. Ultimately, any training action we take, program we design, or testing…
Has your child or athlete ever felt like they are working their hardest but not improving? Have they suffered from multiple injuries and wondered why? Has their menstrual cycle been affected or even stopped? If so, they may be suffering from low energy availability. More specifically, Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport or RED-S is a…
In our previous articles we touched on the concepts of Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) and Physical Literacy. As mentioned, LTAD is a framework that serves to guide the participation, training, competition, and recovery pathways in sport and physical activity from infancy through all phases of adulthood. At Novanta, LTAD guides our programming and planning. It ensures that what we design and…
The importance of a proper strength and conditioning program has now become an integral component in a young athlete’s development. At Novanta, our vision is to develop movement foundations at a young age to better prepare athletes for more advanced forms of training as they progress through the levels of play – as previously discussed…
In today’s world, youth athletes are extremely busy individuals. Many are juggling school, volunteer opportunities, part time jobs, club sports, school sports, and extracurricular activities. Progressing through the day while meeting these obligations can be overwhelming, and as such, food and nutrition can often be overlooked. As youth athletes develop, nutrition plays a vital role…
In our previous article, we introduced you to the concepts of Physical Literacy and Fitness. Our objective was to provide you with a deeper understanding of these concepts (by defining them, and exploring their interdependence), and position them as key pillars in our training philosophy. From a program design and implementation point of view, these…