Help, my Kids play Sport

18/08/2026

13/08/2026

Busy day at Hamish's S&C Academy! 💪
The day kicked off with an online resistance band session — perfect for those who prefer training from home over the gym.
From there, it was down to Marl Pits track for speed work with one of our sprinters, a 13-year-old from Manchester chasing a sub-13-second 100m. Great session focused on sharpening her technique.
The afternoon brought a really rewarding rehab session — working with a teenager rebuilding strength and balance after battling meningitis earlier this year.
Then things got busy! A packed junior session with two ice hockey players, two girls' footballers, and our sprinter back again for her S&C work.
Rounded off the day with individual programmes for a teenage figure skater and an U16 lad playing for Preston North End — both tailored to their specific sport and development needs.
From rehab to elite pathways, every athlete gets a plan built around them. 🙌

09/08/2026

Why Some Athletes Fade Before Training Is Over

This week, let's talk about another performance mistake we see every day: Athletes showing up to practice or training sessions without fuel in the tank.

Too many athletes rush from school to training without eating anything.

The result?

Lower energy

Reduced focus

Earlier fatigue

Less productive training

Poorer recovery afterward

Think about it this way: You wouldn't expect a car to perform at its best on an empty tank.

Yet many athletes are asked to do exactly that.

The truth is that performance doesn't begin when practice or training starts. It begins with the decisions athletes make throughout the day.

A simple snack 2 hours before training can make a significant difference in how athletes perform and how much they get out of practice.

Some easy pre-practice options include:

🍌 Banana and peanut butter
🥣 Low-fat yogurt
🥨 Pretzels and string cheese
🥪 Turkey sandwich or wrap
🥛 Glass of low-fat milk

These don't need to be perfect.

They simply need to provide the body with energy before it's asked to perform. We call this "topping off the tank".

One of the best questions a coach can ask before practice or training is:

"What did you eat before you came today?"

That single question begins shifting team culture and helps athletes understand that fueling is part of training—not separate from it.

Want More Practical Fueling Strategies?

Our FREE Eat to Compete: A Coach's Guide to Fueling Athletes for Performance includes:

✅ A complete fueling timeline for before, during, and after activity
✅ Pre-practice meal and snack ideas
✅ Recovery nutrition recommendations
✅ Hydration strategies
✅ Printable locker room and facility posters for athletes

Download Your Free Guide Here

Throughout August, we'll continue sharing practical coaching strategies around hydration, fueling, recovery nutrition, and helping athletes build habits that support both performance and long-term development.

Join us in our social media channels or simply tune in here all month long!

To better fueled athletes,

The IYCA Team

Educate. Elevate. Excellence.

04/08/2026

When you trust us with your young athlete, you're trusting us with more than their training.

I'm pleased to have completed UK Athletics' Safeguarding in Athletics (Tier 2) certification — one more step toward ensuring every session at Hamish's S&C Academy is not just effective but safe.

Qualified. Accountable. Always learning. That's the standard I hold myself to as a coach.

27/07/2026

https://iyca.org/athletenutritionguide
Download the IYCA guide to fueling young athletes of any sport.

07/07/2026

pdfClaude, can you rewrite this for Facebook and include this is why I do Maturity measurements.Synthesized trainability concepts with maturity measurement rationale for social sharingSynthesized trainability concepts with maturity measurement rationale for social sharingHere's a Facebook post version:

🧠 WHY I MEASURE MATURITY, NOT JUST AGE
Two kids on the same team, same birth year, can be biologically years apart in development. That's why every athlete I work with gets tracked for maturity status — not just chronological age.
Here's the science bit 👇
PHV Trainability Windows — the key growth spurt windows where different qualities respond best to training:
💪 Strength — Girls: right after PHV or when periods start. Boys: 12-18 months after PHV.
⚡ Speed — Two windows each. Girls: ages 6-8, then 11-13. Boys: ages 7-9, then 13-16.
🫁 Stamina — Aerobic capacity trains best just before PHV. Aerobic power builds progressively after.
🤸 Suppleness — Mobility and flexibility peak around ages 6-10 for both genders.
🎯 Skill — Girls: ages 8-11. Boys: ages 9-12.
Miss these windows, and you miss the biggest bang-for-buck training adaptations of an athlete's life. Hit them right, and you set kids up for years of progress.
This is exactly why maturity assessment is built into every programme at the academy — because two 13-year-olds can need completely different training, and the only way to know is to measure it.
📩 Get your athlete's maturity status assessed — DM me to find out more.

02/07/2026

So true. Want to know more? Contact me on 07967 318501

29/06/2026

SUMMER PERFORMANCE ACADEMY IS HERE
This summer I'm running Rossendale's most performance-focused youth training programme - and there are limited spots available.
Gym Performance Sessions - Monday to Friday afternoons
Speed School at Marl Pits Track - Wednesday and Thursday mornings
EVERY session tracked with Output Sport Capture technology
This is for sporty teenagers aged 12-18 who want to train like serious athletes this summer - not just turn up and kick a ball about.
Drop-ins from £12. 4-week Full Academy block from £220.
DM me on 07967 318501. Spaces are limited to 8 per session.

26/06/2026

This is the same technology I use with all my clients of any age.

24/06/2026

If your child wants to excel at any level, you can't afford to miss the gym. It develops strength, endurance, speed and reduces the chance of soft tissue injury. Want to know more? Contact me on 07967 318501