My Youth Sports Weekend

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"You guys are the best in the industry - the one's we all look up
to.  What did you do early in your careers that allowed you to
become the industry leaders?"

The question was being asked by a young Personal Trainer during
the round table 'Q & A' at this past weekends Perform Better
conference in Chicago.

Perform Better is the #1 fitness and sport training conference in
our industry.

They only have the best of the best present seminars and attract
hundreds of Fitness and Sport Professionals from all over the
world.

I have been honored to be a Perform Better presenter for two
years now.

In fact, I was part of the on stage panel of 'experts' answering
questions during that 'Q & A' round table...

... And quietly smiled to myself when I heard that particular
question being asked.

I had no idea how to answer it myself, so was happy
to just sit back and listen as my fellow colleagues took turns
sharing their stories -

:: Gray Cook - Considered to be the very best Physical Therapist
in the world and inventor of the famous Functional Movement
Screen.

:: Juan Carlos Santana - An industry icon who has been around for
over 25 years and thought of us the most innovative strength
coach in our industry's history.

:: Alwyn Cosgrove - Best selling author and the number one fat
loss expert in the world.

:: Dr. Greg Rose - Co-founder of the Titlest Performance
Institute... the place that Tiger Woods, John Daley and other
world class golfers go for training advice.

I sat very humbled listening to these industry legends tell their
stories.

How early in their careers, they made decisions and created
opportunities for themselves that eventually vaulted them into
the status of 'industry leader'.

I was smiling to myself because I realized that I was being
included in that group.

That sitting beside me on stage were Gray Cook, Juan Carlos
Santana, Alwyn Cosgrove and Dr. Greg Rose.

I was part of this upper echelon of professionals considered
'the one's everyone looks up to'.

I admit that it was a surreal moment in my career.

A few hours later, the Perform Better conference was done and
I heading back to my suburban Chicago home.

It was a beautiful day and I remembered that some of the athletes
I train were participating in a volleyball tournament not more
than 10 minutes from my house.

I decided to head over to the tournament site and enjoy watching
some of the games.

I always like watching my athletes play sports.

I get to see them perform and can create blueprints in my
head as to what they need to be doing better next time we
train.

In my opinion, watching your young athletes actually play their
sports is a far greater assessment tool for seeing how well your
training programs are working than actually 'testing' them.

How well are they moving?

Are they producing and absorbing force well?

Is their first step quickness to the ball effective?

These are the questions I sit and ascertain.

It is the best way I have ever found to figure out what sorts of
training needs to be added to my programs in the days and weeks
to come.

I ended up sitting, watching and taking notes for over 3 hours
and created a new training agenda on the spot based on what I
was seeing.

It was Sunday afternoon and the Perform Better conference had
ended only 5 hours ago.

And for some reason, that question the young Personal Trainer
asked came flooding back into my head.

But this time, I could actually answer it...

... THIS is why I have become an industry leader:

Because my passion for the work I do knows absolutely no bounds.

In my spare time - of which I have very little - I find ways to
become a better youth training specialist.

Sometimes I read books on the subject.

Other times I read research or call colleagues I respect in
order to get their opinions about something pertaining to the
training programs I am developing.

Often, I go to my young athletes' games and watch them play so
I can create a better plan for how to train them.

It is through this never ending pursuit of excellence that I
have become known as 'the world's best youth training
specialist'.

Not because I tried to become that...

Not because I aspired to be the best in the industry...

But because I aspire to be the best FOR MY YOUNG ATHLETES.

To help them become as great as possible.

It became clear in an instance why I was sitting on that stage
with all those industry icons earlier in the day.

Just like me, none of them became the 'leaders' because they
wanted that kind of status.

But because they have been going 'above and beyond' for years.

It made me think and want to ask you this question...

Do you go above and beyond for your young athletes?

The very best in any field are considered the best because of
their never ending pursuit of excellence.

If nothing else, I want my experience from this past weekend
to motivate you to go farther for your young athletes.

Find ways to provide better service to them.

Become a better Coach.

Become a better Trainer.

Know no boundaries when it comes to finding ways to help them
become better.

It's got to be more than just training them for an hour or two
a week, .

You've got to want more for THEM.

And when you do.

You end up getting more for YOURSELF.

Think about my experience for a few minutes.

Digest it.

And consider what 'more' you could do for your young athletes.

'Till next time,

Brian