JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Create the most adaptable athlete for future success by developing the foundations of speed, power and strength through movement skill. 

Our Junior Development Program prioritises the creation of adaptable athletes by building strong foundations in strength, power, and speed.

Our approach not only aims to extend their athletic journey, as well as keeping them engaged and active in physical activity, but also ensures the development of robust athletes, reducing the risk of future injuries. 

OUR VISION

Looking to create an optimal training environment for young athletes, our Junior Pathway Program offers a comprehensive approach to nurture the next generation of elite competitors. 

We understand that parents want the best for their children, and we aim to provide this by giving juniors the opportunities and tools they need to grow and succeed. The program individualises training to cater for different stages of growth and development. 

During their teenage years, juniors experience significant growth spurts, resulting in greater physical demands on their bodies. With this in mind, our Junior Pathway Program is designed to guide juniors and parents through the different stages of development, helping them to build a foundation of strength, power and speed. 

Through tailored screening and individualised training, our program focuses on improving movement patterns, coordination, strength, power and speed. Our expert team at the Centre of Excellence provides athletes with an environment that fosters an athlete’s mindset through education and interaction. By maximising athletic potential both physically and mentally, our program gives young athletes every chance to achieve their long-term sporting goals. 

Join our Junior Pathway Program today and give your child the best possible chance to succeed. 

Click below to download the Junior Pathways Program Information Package 

HOW TO GET STARTED?

ASSESSMENT

Our comprehensive testing begins with a Junior Athletic Movement Assessment, designed to evaluate your child’s stage of growth, maturation, and movement competency. 

Utilising video capturing technology, we analyse their movement patterns during activities such as running, jumping, landing, change of direction, hand-eye coordination, and basic strength movements. 

This ensures that we are able to customise your child’s journey specifically to their needs when they join the program. 

REPORT and ENROLMENT

You will receive a detailed report identifying your child’s physical maturation status, physical competency and benchmarking them to athletes of similar development level. 

At this stage, your child will be allocated to a recommended Junior Development Level and an enrolment link will be sent for your child to commence the program. 

COMMENCE TRAINING

Our term-based program establishes small training squads so that your child can come in and train with athletes of similar development levels. All programs are individualised and delivered under the watchful eye of our Junior Development Coaches.

MESSAGE FROM OUR

PERFORMANCE AND PATHWAYS MANAGER 

I have worked in the Junior Athletic Development space for over 10 years, spanning sport coaching to private high-performance centres and now the Centre of Excellence. I have worked closely with over 300 junior athletes across 42 different sports. 

As an Exercise Physiologist by trade, I have always looked for ways to put more detail into our services to make sure we develop our athletes with the most up to date research and methods possible. 

The Junior Pathway Program we have established is quite simple:  

  1. What are the physical characteristics we want to see in our elite athletes? 

  2. Where is my junior athlete currently at? 

  3. What is the roadmap for their physical development in order to get them ready for future success? 

If you are looking to invest in your child to increase their long-term performance, reduce injury risk and looking for a team who will heavily invest their time and effort in your child, you’ve found the right place! 

Testimonials

  • Tristan Lee - 12yrs - Tennis

    My son, a passionate tennis player, was the slowest and least agile at his academy when he started, but the team at the Centre of Excellence changed that.

    They assessed his abilities and tailored a program to his needs, focusing on long-term development rather than just quick fixes. Since then, he’s become faster, fitter, and more agile, with improved motor skills and confidence on the court.

    His performance has skyrocketed, even winning a junior doubles final. The Centre’s approach has given him a solid foundation that will benefit him for years to come.

  • Tiana Roberts - 12yrs - Fencing

    Since joining the Junior Development Program, Tiana has seen tremendous growth both in her sport and physical development.

    The Centre of Excellence created a personalised program tailored to her needs as a fencer, even collaborating with her coach to ensure sport-specific movements were included.

    This approach has helped her achieve top rankings in multiple age groups, including becoming the Australian Youth Champion.

    The Centre’s supportive and fun environment, combined with its structured and disciplined training, has not only boosted her athletic performance but also fostered a healthy lifestyle beyond sport.

  • Mahika - 10yrs - Cross Country and Athletics

    The Centre of Excellence’s Junior Development Program has been transformative for Mahika, with significant improvements in her running times for little athletics and cross country in just over a year.

    The program’s holistic approach focuses on all aspects of athleticism, with regular assessments to track progress.

    What truly stands out is the fun, supportive environment created by the expert coaches, where kids can thrive.

    This program has provided the perfect foundation for Mahika’s athletic success, and we highly recommend it to any parents seeking the best for their children.

JOINING THE PROGRAM

Junior Development Program

$99/week

Quarterly Testing and Progress report

Unlimited Training Session

Nutrition Online Course

Access to Parent Onboarding Seminar/Webinar

Biannual Athlete Review with S&C Coach

Seminars

The Junior Pathway Program is a term commitment in line with the NSW Public School calendar.

WEEKLY TIMETABLE

Through our long-term athletic development framework, we believe that athletes who move well when they are young have the greatest odds for long-term success. It is extremely important that training is specific to a child’s stage of development as designed through our Junior Pathway Program. The Junior Athletic Movement Assessment assesses: 

  1. Growth and maturational status – How far your child is from their growth spurt 

  2. Movement skill competency – 16 different movements video recorded for analysis 

  3. Speed, power and strength – Long term tracking to observe trends in athletic progression 

This allows for the team to identify which Junior Development Level will suit your child. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • The Junior Program is suitable for any athlete aged 10-15 years old. We also run our advance development program for athletes past this age. You can get in touch with us through our general enquiry on the contact page.

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  • Yes there is car parking inside the centre and externally around Sydney Olympic Park.

  • No, our message is to allocate an hour or 2 during the week (which is not much compared to how much sport training kids do) to work on general athleticism. Kids can only benefit from becoming more athletic.

  • Strength development for juniors is largely dependent on their stage of development. Peak height velocity, commonly known as the growth spurt is the period of time when your child experiences their greatest acceleration in growth and stature. The JDP prescribes suitable strength training during specific stages of development.

    Prior to peak height velocity, juniors don’t get stronger and faster not through traditional strength methods because their body hasn’t experienced changes associated with their growth spurt. They get stronger through neuromuscular adaptations or moving more efficiently by becoming more coordinated.

  • Children get stronger and faster by moving more efficiently and not by lifting heavy when they are young. Movement skill development helps to create good athleticism but also stretching the length of their physical development journey so that they have time to master each stage of development.

  • Speed and agility is definitely integrated into our Junior Development Program. To get faster and more agile, we believe athletes should start working on these movements as early as possible. As a result, depending on their stage of development, we will address speed and agility as we see fit to best progress your child.

    We also have school holiday camps which gives athletes the opportunity to get a more intense exposure to speed and agility work without compromising other areas of development.

  • We place a big emphasis on physical development as that is predominantly the reason parents send their athletes to our facility. However, during their time here, we also address areas around nutrition, recovery, game preparation and developing athlete mindsets. We believe elite sport is more than just the physical. That’s why we have a big team of Exercise Physiologists, Strength and Conditioning Coaches, Junior Development Coaches, Physiotherapists and Sports Dietitians to develop a holistic athlete