What People Have to Say is Important…
We feel the measure of a quality organization is directly tied to what people think, feel and are compelled to write about that organization’s ethics, mission and values.
We are honored every day to receive emails, letters and notes from fitness professionals, coaches, physicians and parents worldwide about how they feel about our efforts.
Take a moment to read some of the letters below.
What you are reading is a direct reflection of how strongly we feel about our commitment to our cause and what we could mean to you…
About IYCA Founder Brian Grasso
About the Level 1 Youth Fitness Specialist Course
From Our Current Members
From High Profile & International Organizations
About IYCA Founder Brian Grasso
One of the great problems of youth sports is the failure to recognize that the long-term interests of kids, and, ultimately, elite athletes, are best served with an approach to training that emphasizes stages of age-appropriate development. Brian Grasso is a voice of reason and a beacon of hope for anyone who wants kids to develop fitness patterns for life, and for young athletes who want to achieve their full potential.
Tom Farrey – ESPN
Author “Game One: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children”
Brian has found a formula that works and has taken the guess work out for all of us who aspire to change the health and conditioning of today’s youth. Brian is a leader and one of the foremost experts in children’s fitness. For most of us, children may be the most challenging population to work with, and Brian has mastered it. He has a proven track record and he won’t stop until every child has the opportunity to enjoy exercise achieve high levels of fitness.
Kelly Calabrese – International Fitness Authority
Dallas Texas
I just want you to know that your commitment to Youth Training is amazing. I have been a BIG fan of yours now for a few years and read EVERYTHING you send. I’ve ordered the manuals and DVD’s and finally have the confidence to help kick off a youth training program at a pretty big health club chain here in CT. I can’t thank you enough for all of your information. You are brilliant!
Jennifer Saracino
Stamford, CT
As a a 21-year-old up-and-coming sports trainer who specifically caters to school-aged athletes, I want to ensure that my training programs are of a high standard and up to date. I also try to make certain that my coaching style is one that delivers information to kids in a way that they can process quickly and efficiently to optimize their learning, but more importantly, that ensures that I can make their training experiences with me fun and enjoyable. So whenever I am looking for help to improve these ingredients of my coaching, I look no further than Brian Grasso — a man that so many sports professionals have labeled the No. 1 youth trainer in the world, and for good reason. Once you begin to research his training philosophies and approaches towards training youth athletes, you begin to realize why he is at the top of his game. I have noticed drastic improvements in my athletes after implementing his training ideas, and the kids are loving the new and exciting exercise regimes. With Brian Grasso�s guidance behind me, I feel that my young athletes can most certainly develop into the champions that they all dream of one day becoming.
James Clark
Sydney, Australia
The first time I heard Brian speak, I was mesmerized. As an experienced fitness professional specializing in a high-profile clientele, I am not sure what made me walk into his lecture. After all, I train neither youths nor athletes; yet I found I simply could not take notes fast enough. Brian is a dynamic speaker with an in-depth understanding of how to train young athletes. He delivers the information clearly but with such passion and energy that I wanted to bottle him up and take him with me. As the founder and CEO of the International Youth Conditioning Association, Brian has assembled some of the brightest minds from athletics and sport science. They collectively are raising the bar, not just on youth fitness/athletics but the entire fitness industry.
Valerie Waters – Celebrity Fitness Trainer
Los Angeles, California
“I simply could not state how happy I am to see, someone like you, trying hard, to make the world a better place through kids. Your coverage, both in issues and places speak volume of your total commitment. On behalf of children all over the world, for you and the likes wherever they may be. I say THANK YOU VERY MUCH”
Olayemi Tajudeen Bashorun
About the Level 1 Youth Fitness Specialist Course
I really felt compelled to write this letter about my experience at the IYCA seminar last month. For a lack of better words, it was life-changing. I mean this in all sincerity. Brian, Kwame and Brina, you were so inspiring in your words and your actions. I have been training athletes and clients for a while now and every seminar has its moments, some greater than others. But each of you have such genuine passion. I was impressed. It caused me to take a deep look at my athletes and how I can become a better trainer/coach for them. After attending the seminar, I realized I wanted to make some serious changes in my community and start a wave of change. We immediately began an after-school fitness program for a local elementary school. My goal is to open the community’s eyes to childhood obesity and start more after school programs.
Kris Massaro
San Diego, California
I was very fortunate to attend the first ever Youth Fitness Specialist Seminar with Brian Grasso and the IYCA organization. The conference was AMAZING! My three colleagues with whom I came and I left the seminar with a much better understanding of how to properly train the developing athlete. I’ve been to many seminars, and I received more applicable information from this one, which was only six hours long, than any other! My advice: if you are a P.E. teacher, personal trainer, or strength coach and work with children, it is absolutely ESSENTIAL to attend an IYCA event, or get in front of Brian Grasso!
Aaron Larmore
Iowa City, Iowa
Brian, I just got back into Long Island an hour or so ago. I thought it absolutely pivotal to let you know what a fantastic job you did Saturday, in your demonstrations, your energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to the cause of the IYCA. The success of a group or business is predicated on its leaders exemplifying goals. Your love of fitness, the ability to ignite passion in others, and general goodwill are the aspects of leadership that define a strong foundation. There are organizations that people belong to, and there are organizations that people belong with. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you and Kwame in what could be described as a revolution. Thank you for holding the expectations high for this industry.
Eric Chessen
Long Island, New York
Brian, You and Kwame are exceptional and I appreciated the opportunity to meet you both. I do believe that you will change youth fitness in America.
Jeff O’Connor
Lincoln, Nebraska
You guys put on a heck of a seminar yesterday. I had trouble sleeping last night as my mind was spinning the possibilities of where I want to go from here. Thank you for the sincere approach with which you have presented this subject. If nothing else comes of it (which I can’t imagine), the very least you have done is given me the power to become a better Dad. Warmest thanks.
Drew Semmelman
Aurora, Illinois
The content contained within the IYCA certification materials provides the most technical, practical and applicable education that I have EVER experienced with any program.
Donovan Owens
Dallas, Texas
“I find that the IYCA provides real support and a genuine desire to help both its members and the athletes who experience sports camps, school and league participation, fitness and conditioning programs”
David Pocock
Rutherfordton, NC
I’ve been hired by numerous parents from towns as far as 20 miles away, created charity programs within my local Boys Club, created a name for myself in young athletes development within my community and, thankfully, due to the revenue incurred from my accelerated skills through the IYCA, I’m opening my first training center in January 2008… This I’ve accomplished with the IYCA Youth Fitness Certification — and this it will do for you.
Robert Belley
Boston, MA
Youth fitness is moving into the mainstream and the first movers need to be associated with the best . . . which is the IYCA.
Luca Hocevar
Slovenia
I would suggest that one of the greatest decisions that I have made in my life was to take the Youth Fitness Certification course that you offer.
Bob Acton
Toronto, Canada
Just wanted to say Developmental Essentials is an awesome text. Don’t know why I waited so long. I’ve exchanged emails with you and Tony Reynolds a few times over the years. I have my MS, PES, CSCS, and HFI. The IYCA would have been my first step had it been around.
Brian Atkinson
Illinois
I would say that until the IYCA came along, youth training was just watered down adult performance training.
Jeremy Frisch – CATZ Sports Performance
Acton, MA
From High Profile & International Organizations
The IYCA is changing the way we train youth.
Men’s Health Magazine
The IYCA has provided a dynamic resource to the Club Industry Conference to offer fitness professionals updated information and research to further the development of effective conditioning and health programs for children of all ages. In the face of growing concern about childhood obesity and inactivity, we at Club Industry reaffirm our determination to offer solutions that address the youth market. The knowledge and dedication of the IYCA and its leaders have helped us to shape and deliver a robust curriculum with broad appeal.
Zari Stahl
Club Industry
Sport in Action, the biggest and oldest youth sports organization in Zambia, has more than 100,000 children between the ages of 4 and 18. Coaching and even teaching resources specific to youth sport has been very minimal, hence limiting school and youth sport teachers and coaches to use adult-based coaching manuals. As a youth-based organization, our relevance to the Zambian sport and youth development system lies in bringing the value of youth sport capacities amongst the communities and schools we work with. This has been difficult work until I met my good friend and now my brother, Brian, who inspired me to a very high and deep level of passion and belief in making a clear and life-changing difference in the way we coach our youth. We have used his approaches and resources he has sent to train our top educators who train our volunteers throughout the country and the quality of our work is being seen from the touching stories of our volunteers who are now very happy and find their work more fulfilling and achieving. Also, we have more young athletes breaking into select sides and junior Zambia national teams. There is not an inch of doubt that SIA has become a better youth sport organization through Brian’s work. The need for IYCA is invaluable.
Clement Mubanga Chileshe – Executive Director
Sport in Action, Zambia
The IYCA is dedicated specifically to the youth population and has been revolutionary in its mission to enhance the knowledge of youth sports/fitness professionals and volunteers throughout the world. We are proud to be associated with the IYCA and look forward to the positive influence this organization will have on young people in the years to come.
Mike Stanley – Millennium Institute of Sport & Health
Auckland, New Zealand
Having been in the industry for over 25 years, I have seen my share of fitness organizations and certifications come and go. Those that are more reputable will stand the test of time and those that are not will ultimately go away.
The question I encourage one to ask of a reputable organization deals with how useful, valid and trustworthy are the people who are involved. Brian Grasso not only fits that description himself but has insured the IYCA will be the most credible youth fitness organization by only surrounding himself with other reliable and genuine individuals, who just happen to be amongst the best at what they do.
This collaboration of industry leaders combined with the focus of guiding future leaders is what makes the IYCA the most complete program.
Billy Corbett – Content Editor
PT on the Net
Training our youth is not the same as training adults! They are at different psychological and physical levels. No one in our industry understands and teaches both sides of this equation better than Brain Grasso and the IYCA.
Jason Stella – National Education Director
Lifetime Fitness
The IYCA is founded on the Grasso formula for children’s success and provides kids with lifelong physical well-being and the opportunity to be their best. That is why we at Vortex Fitness Equipment are proud to use Brian’s tutelage as the basis for developing our children’s line of fitness equipment. If you want the best for your children, you want to be with the best. Go with the IYCA.
Bob Piane
Founder & CEO of Vortex Fitness Equipment
The mission of the IYCA to condition young athletes and educate those who train and work with youth could lead to notable declines in injury for our youth, as well as maximizing the potential of others. The IYCA brings to the industry a high-quality product that can be used in a wide range of settings and applications to promote and ensure safe conditioning and training
Joan Bornack – Director
Alexian Hospital Network