As a physical therapist at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Medicine Center I enjoy working with young athletes recovering from an injury.   While attending the World Golf Fitness Summit conducted by the Titleist Performance Institute last week (October 2016), I realized that there are a lot of others in the golf and fitness/rehab community passionate about youth sports also.  Listening to Suzy Whaley, secretary of the PGA, talk about how she structures her junior program to make it fun for her athletes was especially thought-provoking.

Her speech reminded me of a recent article on the Titleist Performance Institute’s website that listed some tips to build muscle strength and develop movement patterns to help kids become better athletes and prevent injury.   The following are the most important:

1. Teach them how to skip. Skipping is one of the first fundamental movements to get them to separate their upper and lower bodies
2. Teach them how to throw a ball. This will teach them how to use their lower body and hips to generate power to the upper body. Do this with both arms.
3. Have them kick a ball. This will teach them how to post up on a leg and swing around it. Do this with both legs.
4. Have them throw a Frisbee. This teaches them proper wrist release and body alignment.
5. Have them play on the monkey bars. This will develop upper body and forearm strength.
6. Challenge them to a race. Your child can’t ever be “too fast.” They will benefit their entire life from speed development at a young age.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this or how we can help reach your child’s goals.

Griffin Ewald, MPT, OCS, CSCS
TPI Level 1 Certified
Froedtert Sports Medicine Center
414-805-7111
Griffin.ewald@froedtert.com