The Best Athleticism Tool for Developing Athletes

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I’ve coached several youth sports teams, and the single best thing I’ve done for my teams has nothing to do with dribbling a basketball, throwing a football, or how to swing a bat.  In almost any sport, an athlete needs to be able to change directions quickly and efficiently, and without losing balance.  This essential skill needs to be learned.  It can be learned through experience: some kids already have it to some degree because of games they play like tag or football, but many do not.  No video game will teach you to do this well!

With this in mind, all of the youth teams I’ve coached over the years have used the agility ladder to do footwork drills–my baseball parents must’ve raised an eyebrow when they saw me taking out the ladder before practice!  Agility ladder drills increase the speed at which a young athlete can move their feet, as well as the efficiency of their movements, and enhance overall athleticism.  This results in less loss of balance and quicker reaction times.

I can immediately think of two kids who went from literally tripping over their own feet at the beginning of the season, to being pretty good athletes by the end.  This doesn’t mean they became the star player–making all of their shots, or catching all the passes thrown their way–but it does mean they were able to move around the court or field more effectively.

These drills aren’t just effective for kids who are behind in their physical coordination, but it also takes kids who are already pretty good to excellent.  On top of all that, it’s a very inexpensive tool–often can be found for $20 or less.