Speed and agility

Acceleration, top speed and changing direction, on the indoor lane and the pitch

Every sport rewards the athlete who gets there first, and most young athletes have never been taught how to run. A few weeks of good mechanics, the right drills and honest feedback make a visible difference, at any level.

Sessions start with a movement warm-up, then drills: wall drives, A-skips, falling starts, wicket runs and change-of-direction patterns. Each drill has one coaching point, and athletes film each other on a tablet so they can see what the coach sees.

Timing gates on the indoor lane measure ten and twenty metres every half term. Times go home to parents with a note on what changed and why, and no athlete is ranked against another on a board.

During a growth spurt we reduce the volume of maximal sprinting and jumping, because coordination drops and tendons are sensitive while bones grow. We tell parents when we do it.

What is included

• Coached sprint mechanics and agility drills
• Ten and twenty-metre timing every half term
• Video feedback on a tablet, never shared online
• Volume adjusted during growth spurts
• A home drill sheet for each half term

What it costs

Part of every programme, from £72 a term. Speed-only blocks of six sessions £54 for athletes in another programme elsewhere. The programme finder shows the right group for an age and sport, and our safeguarding page explains how we keep young athletes safe.