Why Local Athletes Need Training That Matches Their Sport Seasons - Cedar Park Athlete Training
- Ben Lustig
- Jan 5
- 2 min read
One of the most common issues we see with training our Cedar Park youth athletes isn’t a lack of effort—it’s a mismatch between training and the sport calendar.
Many local athletes train hard year-round, but their training never actually changes based on:
In-season vs off-season
Practice volume
Game schedules
Growth spurts
Recovery demands
And over time, that mismatch adds up.
Not All Seasons Should Be Trained the Same
Athletes go through different phases throughout the year:
In-season
Off-season
Pre-season
Transition / recovery periods
Yet many programs treat every week the same. That approach might be simple—but it’s rarely effective long-term.
What We See Locally (and Why It’s a Problem)
With local athletes—especially in year-round sports—we often see:
High practice volume layered on top of intense lifting
No reduction in training during competition season
Conditioning stacked on top of already demanding practices
Strength programs that ignore game schedules
The result?
Persistent soreness
Slower performance gains
Mental burnout
Increased injury risk—especially during growth spurts
Hard work isn’t the issue. Poor timing is.
Off-Season Training Has a Different Job
The off-season is where real development should happen.
This is the time to:
Build strength
Improve movement quality
Address imbalances
Increase work capacity
Lay the foundation for speed and power
Trying to chase these goals during a packed competitive season usually backfires.
In-Season Training Should Support Performance, Not Compete With It
In-season training isn’t about pushing limits—it’s about maintaining what was built.
Smart in-season training:
Reduces volume
Maintains strength and power
Emphasizes recovery and mobility
Supports performance on game day
Athletes should leave training feeling better, not more fatigued.
One Program Can’t Fit Every Sport Calendar
Local athletes don’t all train the same:
Swimmers have long competitive seasons
Baseball and softball have heavy spring schedules
Football has short, intense seasons
Soccer and basketball often overlap with other sports
Training must account for:
Sport demands
Competition frequency
Time of year
Overall stress load
When it doesn’t, progress stalls—even for motivated athletes.
What Parents Should Look For in a Training Program
A season-aware program should:
Change training emphasis throughout the year
Adjust intensity during competition periods
Communicate with athletes about how they’re feeling
Prioritize long-term development over short-term fatigue
If every phase of the year looks the same, that’s a red flag.
Cedar Park/Leander Parents: Our Training Will Make Your Child a Better Athlete - Guaranteed
If we don't make your child a better athlete in 12 weeks, they'll train 100% free.
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