How athletic development works at STRYDE

Before the trial, we ask about your child's age, sport experience, current training, interests and any areas you would like them to improve.

We also look at their weekly schedule. A child already training several times a week may need something different from a child who is just starting structured sport.

If you would like guidance, we recommend the discipline that will give the coach the most useful first look. You can also choose an available trial session yourself.

Your child's first assessment trial is free. They join a two-hour group session with one of our coaches.

During the session, the coach observes how your child moves, responds to instruction and handles the activities within that discipline. What we look at depends on the sport.

Track & Field gives us a clearer view of running mechanics, acceleration, rhythm and speed. Strength & Conditioning shows strength, balance, trunk control and general movement quality.

Sport Climbing, Judo and Basketball reveal different qualities, including coordination, body control, reaction, spatial awareness and how a child adapts to movement challenges.

The coach gives feedback during the session and sees how your child responds to it. The trial gives us a useful starting point, not a complete answer about your child.

After the trial, we send you a written assessment within 48 hours. It covers what the coach observed, what your child did well and which areas may be worth developing further.

Where relevant, we relate those observations to the sports your child already plays. The report records what the coach saw during that session. It is not a label on your child's ability or long-term potential.

After reviewing the coach's notes, we discuss what may suit your child next. That could be a broader base through Multi-Sport, more specific preparation through Specialist Edge, or regular training in one discipline.

Sometimes another single group session or the optional Starter Pack helps us understand the child better before choosing a longer-term programme. We also consider how much training is already in their week. Adding more sessions may not be the right answer.

We explain what we recommend and why. You decide what works for your child and your family.

Once your child starts training regularly, the coaches continue observing how they move and respond as sessions become more challenging. We look at what is improving and what still needs practice.

The first assessment is only the beginning. We may revisit the recommendation as your child develops, or when their sport season, school schedule, goals or training load changes.

For children in Multi-Sport, coach observations also inform the progress update or parent debrief included with their tier.