The Free Content Section on IYCA.org has become an incredible library of quality content. We picked out the Top 12 pieces from 2017 so you
can go back and revisit anything you missed.
The contributors to the IYCA have also been outstanding this year, with professionals like Mike Boyle, Brett Klika, Ron McKeefery, Brett Bartholomew and others bringing you excellent material. Here are the Top 12 pieces from 2016:
#12 Making a Difference – Ron McKeefery: Legendary S & C coach Ron McKeefery talks about how important it is to make an impact on the athletes we train – right in line with everything we talk about through the IYCA.
#11 4 Simple Strategies for Increasing the Value of Your Programs – Brett Klika: Brett’s contributions to the IYCA in 2017 have been outstanding, and this article is more of a practical business discussion on how to make your youth training program unstoppable.
#10 Strength Training Program Blueprint – Mark Naylor: University of Michigan S & C Coach, and contributing author in Principles of Athletic Strength & Conditioning, Mark Naylor shares a simple way to organize your daily strength training template.
#9 Young Girl Forced Into the Splits – Bad Coaching Not Always That Obvious – Jim Kielbaso: This was one of the most talked-about pieces of the year on IYCA social media. This situation really hit a nerve with many coaches, but this article discussed the fact that many poor training practices are not as obvious as this.
#8 Finding Your Niche – Eric Cressey: Eric has created one of the strongest baseball-specific training programs in the world, and he believes every coach should move toward this model. Interestingly, though, Eric didn’t find this nice, it found him. This piece talks about Eric’s path and some of his thoughts on finding yours.
#7 What I Learned From Coaching Kids, Again – Mike Boyle: While most people think of Mike training elite athletes, he understands the importance of training young athletes and the IYCA mission. Considered one of the most influential strength coaches in the industry, Mike Boyle contributed a couple of articles to the IYCA this year. In this piece, he discussed some of the most important aspects of training young athletes.
#6 Acceleration Mechanics – Jim Kielbaso: In this video, you can watch IYCA President Jim Kielbaso teach acceleration mechanics to a group of athletes preparing for the NFL Combine & Pro Days. You’ll see and hear exactly how he breaks it all down in a real life situation.
#5 Haley Perlus on Mental Toughness on The Impact Show: This was, hands-down, the most listened-to episode of The Impact Show in 2017. With guests like Mike Boyle, Brett Bartholomew, Dan John and others, it’s impressive that Dr. Perlus had more traffic than any of them. Maybe that’s because she dropped some serious knowledge in this episode and shared a straightforward plan for improving mental toughness in athletes.
#4 Plyometrics: The Truth & How to Use Them – Joe Powell: In 2017, Joe Powell emerged as one of the hottest contributors to the IYCA. He is a huge part of the monthly IYCA Insiders content, as he and Chris Beardsley tag-team the IYCA Behind the Science series. He has also produced several additional pieces in Insiders, but this very thorough and practical article on Plyometrics was his most popular.
#3 Youth Athletic Development Fundamentals – Brett Klika: We couldn’t pick just one piece from Brett Klika, and this 25 minute video was an absolute MUST for this list. If you haven’t watched Brett break down the fundamentals of youth athletic development, spend some time watching now.
#2 How to Choose the Right Sports Performance Program – Brad Leshinske: Possibly the most “useful” article of 2017 was this piece that could be added to every sports performance web site in the world. It’s a perfect way to explain quality programs to potential clients without you having to “sell” yourself.
#1 Early Sports Specialization is Making Youth Less Athletic – Dr. Greg Shaible: Long Term Athlete Development is one of the foundations of the IYCA, and this article by Dr. Greg Shaible explains exactly why early sports specialization is not the best path for most athletes. Because this article encapsulated many of the most important principles the IYCA teaches, it is listed as the top piece of the content for 2017.