No doubt, Satoshi Takano knows his stuff- I mean, he IS the founder of the Cognitive Performance Institute and has worked with NHL teams and worldwide organizations... but- as I mentioned to him- his player development progression has a common mistake-
Do you see it?
What's the problem?
Waiting until 13 to introduce nutrition.
Why is this a big deal?
By age 13 we’ve already missed crucial periods that impact bone strength, puberty, and performance.
Waiting until age 13 means athletes have already
- increased their risk of injury
- increased their risk of burnout
- incorporated habits that negatively impact sustained energy during game start to finish
- followed outdated, inaccurate, or dangerous fueling advice
which means... you'll waste valuable training time dealing with
- players' recurring non-contact injuries
- players' ineffective aggression
- players' poor focus
- players' inconsistent energy
- players' increased muscle soreness and slow recovery
Just as we teach kids accurate, age-appropriate basic skill fundamentals to build on as they get older, the same is true for fueling.
If, by age, 13 athletes
- don't know what & when to fuel before & between games
- are using energy drinks
- prioritize protein post-workout
- letting emotion run their game
we first have to correct ineffective, bad habits before building the right habits that maximize athleticism, optimize recovery, and elevate their competitive advantage.
When your nutrition training flows with your player developement system, athletes are physically and mentally better prepared for the work, parents aren't jeopardizing player performance with fueling confusion, and coaches know their players have the foundation to support training and travel demands on players' developing bodies.
The fueling skills that 7 & 8 year old athletes develop now lay the groundwork for peak athleticism today and as they grow... starting at 13 means we're playing catch up.
Are you confident that your players, coaches, and parents have the right fueling training?
