The Athletic Advantage

Athlete Development

“Skill matters—but athleticism multiplies it.”

Want to Get Better at Your Sport? Do This First.

I’m not sure how recently I’ve said it, but it’s worth repeating:

Athlete development should be treated as its own priority—not just a byproduct of playing the sport.

Athleticism is the foundational skill for every game, every level, and every athlete.

Basketball.
Hockey.
Tennis.
Golf.
Soccer.
Football.
The list goes on.

Why Athleticism Comes First

Developing coordinated force—the ability to produce, control, and transfer movement efficiently—is the key to unlocking everything else:

• More leg drive

• More arm speed

• More rotational power

• Better balance and control

It’s the skill behind all the skills.
The better your athletic base, the easier it becomes to execute sport-specific movements with precision and power.

What It Actually Improves

If you want to:

• Score more goals

• Create more space on the court

• Improve striking consistency

• Move with greater balance and control

• Open up better passing and shooting angles

Then training athleticism is your fast track.

We’ve seen it for over 20 years—some of the most technically skilled athletes hit a ceiling.
Not because they lack talent, but because they’re missing that next level of speed, strength, and movement ability.

The Research Backs It Up

Recently, Coach Grayson—a former college athlete—shared a study that confirmed what we’ve believed for years:

Athletic development had a greater impact on sport-specific performance than the drills themselves.

Let that sink in.

You’ll improve your game faster by getting stronger, faster, and more coordinated than by repeating the same low-effort drills endlessly.

The Takeaway

Stop wasting time on drills that don’t move the needle.

Prioritize athletic qualities—speed, strength, power, and movement efficiency—and you’ll:

• Move better

• React faster

• Play with more confidence

• Perform at your highest level

More confidence.
More impact.
More performance—on and off the field.

So if you’re ready to actually see change—stop reading and start moving.

— Coach Shelby and The Shelby Trained Team