If your child already trains with a school team or club, start a conversation with their main sport coach before adding another session. Ask what physical priority needs attention and how extra work would fit around existing training.
A useful answer might lead to additional coaching, a change in the current plan or a decision to wait. The recommendation should follow the child's situation.
Write down the current commitments
Include school sport, club practice, private lessons, competitions and travel. Note upcoming changes, such as a competition week or an extra school training session. Keep enough room in the discussion for schoolwork, rest and the child's preferences.
The AAP's 2024 report on overuse and overtraining highlights the consequences of an imbalance between training load and recovery. That supports considering the whole schedule. It does not supply a single safe weekly session count for every child.
Name the purpose of the proposed session
Ask the coach to link the suggestion to an observation. If the priority is landing control, what task revealed it? How would they practise it, and what would they review? If nobody can explain the purpose, clarify it before buying extra training.
Keep sport-specific and physical-development goals distinguishable. Improving a movement during a coached task should not be presented as a guaranteed improvement in competition performance.
Agree how the plan will be reviewed
Decide when the adults will discuss whether the session remains useful. Share changes in the main sport's schedule. If there is pain, injury or a clinical restriction, bring the relevant healthcare advice into the decision before participation.
Ask your child how the proposed session would affect the week. A plan that relies on a reluctant child attending every available activity needs a closer discussion.
Where Specialist Edge may fit
STRYDE's Specialist Edge approach provides physical preparation alongside existing training for children aged 7–12 who are already competing in a main sport. It is a possible addition to consider from the child's needs and commitments. It is not an automatic requirement for a competitive athlete.
Share the current training week and the physical priority you want help with. We can discuss whether a starting session would be appropriate, including whether the week already has enough training.
Sources
Written by STRYDE Athletic. Evidence and programme information checked 3 November 2026.
