Conditioning can keep young athletes off the sidelines by improving skills and reducing injuries.

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You've probably heard that today's youth are lazy, overweight and addicted to gaming. Don't believe it. Hundreds of thousands of kids compete in multiple sports. Many of them crave the guidance of youth sports coaches who understand the needs of young athletes. They want to be stronger and more competitive, just like their adult counterparts.

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These young athletes are playing not only basketball, football, soccer and baseball. They also are participating in nontraditional sports like BMX racing, snowboarding, mountain biking, field hockey, softball and skiing. They understand that being stronger improves performance and reduces the risk of injury.

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Strength training may not improve sport - specific precision skills such as pitching a strike in baseball, scoring a goal in soccer, hitting a jump shot in basketball or serving an ace in tennis. But it can improve motor skills for activities such as the long jump, 30-meter dash, agility running and squat jump.

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More generally speaking, the National Academy of Sports Medicine says that young athletes who strength train can improve gross motor skills, reduce body fat, increase muscle mass and improve psychosocial well-being (NASM 2012). Strength training also increases bone mineral density of girls (and boys), decreasing the risk of developing osteoporosis as they age.