Develop the athlete behind the sport.
Playing more sport does not automatically develop the whole athlete.
Many children already have busy weeks filled with school sport, club training or private coaching. Parents often want to understand what their child needs to work on and whether another session would help.
That is where we start.
We begin by understanding the child.
STRYDE is a youth athletic-development programme for ages 7–12 in Singapore.
Our specialist coaches teach Track & Field, Strength & Conditioning, Sport Climbing, Judo and Basketball. Each sport gives children different things to practise and coaches a different view of how they move. A recommendation reflects what the coach sees, the sport a child already plays, what the child is interested in and which class days the family can manage.
We look at what would be useful within the week your family can manage. That could mean trying a different sport, practising more regularly or keeping the week lighter.
What we mean by an athletic foundation
We work on the strength and movement skills children use when they run, jump, balance and play.
Strength and control
Producing force, holding a position and moving with control.
Speed and rhythm
Accelerating, coordinating the steps and finding an efficient running rhythm.
Balance and coordination
Organising the body across different tasks, spaces and partner situations.
Learning new movement
Listening to a cue, adapting and applying it on the next attempt.
Different sports give children more ways to practise these skills. Coaches watch their attempts and explain what to adjust.
What we want children to experience
A child should feel that they belong at STRYDE and can take on difficult challenges without being humiliated or compared unfairly.
We want them to experience:
- coaches who understand the child before recommending a programme
- specialist instruction within each discipline
- challenges that are purposeful and appropriate
- feedback they can act on; and
- ambition without the fear that they are already behind.
Parents should receive clear information too. Written observations and regular feedback make it easier to understand what the coaches are working on and why.