Does your child dream of becoming a college athlete, professional athlete, or Olympian? Are you considering gaining an extra advantage over other athletes your child's age? Is it better, bigger, faster and stronger? Young athletes looking to advance to the next level want to improve their speed, agility, and strength. Our young people are increasingly becoming involved in a more advanced level of competition in the hope of realizing their dream of being the best in their chosen sport. It takes discipline to perform exercises to develop endurance and agility; This creates a more disciplined athlete. Because speed, endurance, and agility are not sport-specific, they provide benefits in all sporting activities. Teaching good nutritional habits can benefit the young athlete by preparing the body for physical exertion and aiding in prevention and faster recovery from the mildest to most serious injuries. From injury prevention to becoming an elite athlete, youth training can benefit recreational athletes as well as professional athletes, both men and women. Young athletes have become more specialized in the sport in recent years. Athletes focus on one sport rather than participating in multiple sports. Competition levels have increased and athletes are starting to train at younger ages. Speed, agility and strength training are essential for athletes who want to excel in sports. Physical training benefits the athlete by developing endurance, strength and mobility. Psychological benefits may include increased self-esteem, increased self-confidence, and better personal discipline. Speed, strength and endurance are imperative in a highly trained young athlete; thus creating a more disciplined ath...... middle of paper ...... DA, & Westcott, DW (2009). Strength Training for Youth: Programs for Health, Fitness, and Sports (Strength and Power for Young Athletes) (2 ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Grasso, B. (nd). Speed ​​training for young athletes. Training exercises, information and products for youth sports. Retrieved July 30, 2010 from http://www.y-coach.com/speedtrain.html Lee, M. (1993). Coaching Children in Sports (1 ed.). London: Spon Press. Metzl, J. (June 23, 2010). Strength training must be known, health for parents new to youth sports - Weplay. A youth sports community for coaches, parents, kids and teams - weplay.com. Retrieved July 28, 2010 from http://www.weplay.com/sports-parents/health/38-Strength-Training-Must-KnowsReilly, T. (2007). Science of Football Athletic Training: A Scientific Basis for Developing Strength, Skill, and Endurance (1 ed.). New York: Routledge