Physical Preparation Podcast · Mike Robertson

7 Thoughts on Coaching Young Athletes

·38 min·2 clips

Robertson says youth coaching is “so much of what we do, works in between these two points, right? In between our ears.”

1. Physical Preparation Podcast episode “7 Thoughts on Coaching Young Athletes” centers on Mike Robertson’s coaching lessons from 25 years in strength and conditioning. 2. Robertson is the host of the Physical Preparation Podcast, and he frames the episode around lessons learned in the trenches with athletes, clients, and youth teams. 3. The episode asks what coaching young athletes is actually for, and Robertson answers with a practical thesis about adaptation, trust, effort, and mindset. 4. He starts with the idea that coaches must know their athletes, using T as an example of a 13-year-old who carries herself like an older teen. 5. He contrasts T with shy, reserved kids in the gym, including RJ, and says the same coaching tone will not work for both. 6. Robertson says Brian Grasso and the IYCA influenced his thinking about different athlete types and how communication has to change. 7. He describes moving from shouting across the gym to walking over and giving specific squat cues face to face. 8. He says coaches should ask what athletes are interested in outside sports, then tells the story of Live’s grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken fingers. 9. He says another useful question is what athletes are passionate about, and he uses Tyrell’s interest in Manchester City and soccer as the example. 10. He adds that he has used Fortnite talk with a young man named Cade to build rapport through something the athlete already enjoys. 11. Robertson says the real goal is not just getting kids to train, but making them love coming to the gym and working for life. 12. His second thought is that coaches need “juice,” meaning a style and energy that fit their own personality. 13. He recalls Ball State from 2000 to 2002, Wade Russell, Matt Winning, and powerlifting sessions that showed him he would not coach by intimidation. 14. He says Michelle Hemsden’s 225-pound squats and the strength of the people around him taught him that his path had to be different. 15. He describes choosing empathy, fun, and persuasion as his own coaching strengths, especially with women’s volleyball and women’s soccer. 16. Robertson says soft skills and hard skills together create the best version of coaching, because empathy and craftsmanship both matter. 17. The episode’s tone is personal and instructional, with long stories, direct advice, and repeated homework prompts for listeners. 18. Robertson uses a conversational solo format, with a sponsor break from What’s That Strap and several digressions into youth sports. 19. People coaching youth sports, strength and conditioning, or school teams will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting technical lifting detail and fast-paced debate may skip this one.

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