#025 Athletic Development Series - Rob Anderson Training Youth Athletes

Episode Title: Unlocking Youth Potential: Athletic Development with Rob Anderson

Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Women's Football Hub podcast, Carolyn Kent is joined by Rob Anderson, BSc in Strength and Conditioning and MSc in Applied Sport and Exercise Physiology from St Mary's University. Rob was the 2024 UK Strength and Conditioning Association Coach of the Year for Youth Sports and is the founder of Athletic Evolution in Edinburgh.

Together, Carolyn and Rob dive deep into the importance of athletic development in youth sports, touching on key topics such as:

• The critical role of movement quality and athletic development for young athletes.
• How to balance training load and prevent overuse injuries in youth sports.
• Misconceptions around strength training for female athletes.
• The benefits of sampling multiple sports for better athletic performance.

Rob also shares his philosophy on how proper athletic development can minimise the gap between early and late maturers and provides practical tips for parents, coaches, and young athletes to get started.

Where to Find Rob Anderson:

• Instagram: @_theathleteacademy
• LinkedIn: Rob Anderson
• Collaborate Sports Mentorship Program: 

Key Quote:
"Better is better. More is not better. Focus on quality, not just quantity, in youth athletic development."

Don't Miss: Rob shares practical tips for building movement competence, balancing training loads, and why female athletes have so much to gain from strength training.