The Awkward Athlete
THE AWKWARD ATHLETE
by Aaron Thigpen, Gamespeed Sports
May 2021
A few years ago I was approached by two parents. They had a thirteen year old son who had dreams of playing varsity baseball. They were actually apologetic about their sons athletic abilities. I asked them to bring him in for an Evaluation. Turns out they were right. The lanky, awkward kid was uncoordinated, clumsy and off balance in every thing he did. The most basic movements were a struggle and he looked on the verge of injury in most cases.
After the evaluation I informed them of my thoughts and suggested they bring him in twice a week, commit fully to the process and lets see where it goes over the next four years.
Fast forward four years later, my baby giraffe had become a strapping 6ft 200lb athlete. I had the joy of watching this young man pitch a complete game in the finals of the NCS Championships (90mph fastball) and hit the game winning RBI off the center field wall (400ft) of the Oakland A’s stadium.
My baby giraffe had become a King of the jungle!!!
This young man went on to play division I baseball at one of the countries top programs.
He did not begin with the physical abilities that most would expect, BUT he possessed the most important traits of any successful athlete:
- A desire to be not good, but great
- The humility and ability to listen, take direction and to learn
- To not be bothered by what others thought of him (tough skin)
- Patience and perseverance
More importantly his parents had the same traits!!!
His situation is not uncommon, todays kids, don’t play, rarely have PE, and primarily participate in structured sports. So the body tries to “organize” itself the best way it can. This can lead to the adaptation of improper movement patterns resulting in poor performance and injury.
All of this contributes to a small and narrow repertoire of movement skills. Add to this mother nature and the changing body and you see an army of “Bambi’s” on the playing fields and courts.
The most common conversation I have goes something like this:
…..he/she had a growth spurt and grew six inches over the summer and everything went haywire….
….just a few months ago they were one of the most athletic on the team now….
….my sons grown two shoes sizes and everything is off….
….my daughter struggles to keep up and looks like she may hurt herself at any moment…
….everyone has passed my athlete by…..
You get the picture. Well there is hope, although some movement patterns are innate (nature) most skills needed in sports must be learned and practiced (nurtured).
As a parent, what can you do to get your child on the right track?
- Don’t be too hard on your athlete. Confidence plays a big part in their being comfortable with their bodies and abilities.
- Encourage your kid to play. Play is when exploration can happen. The opportunity to learn to move in non competitive, judgmental environments is crucial to athletes getting to know their bodies.
- Play multiple sports or athletic activities, some recreational and some competitive. Keep at least a 1 to 1 ratio (recreational to competitive) I strongly suggest 2 to 1.
- Find a professional who can provide structured programming and instruction to safely and properly move from gross to refined motor and athletic skills.
Some activities I strongly suggest are gymnastics, martial arts, and any form of dance. They create body awareness, balance, strength and coordination that can be the foundation for other sport activities.
An alarming number of kids have poor motor skills, lack physicality and are ill prepared for highly competitive sports. Regardless of where they start you can change their trajectory with the right approach.
Have an “Awkward Athlete”? Contact coach Aaron Thigpen of Gamespeed Sports . For the past 27 years he’s been transforming athletes into their optimal selves.
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